Godsend book 1: Deus X Machina
by alchemicmonkey
Summary: A young girl from modern day America finds out she can travel across time and space. She winds up in Germany, in the company of none other than the Elric brothers. An epic love drama unfolds...
1. The Girl From Beyond the Sky

1: The Girl From Beyond the Sky

Edward and Alphonse walked down a dusty road in Germany. The midday sun beat down on them. Edward rubbed the back of his neck. He had crashed the car into a tree on the side of the road because of something Alphonse had said. Alphonse tenderly touched the cut on his cheek. It stopped bleeding, but still stung a bit. They were still a fair distance from town, and if no one drove by they would have to walk home.

* * *

Christin sat on her bed, idly staring out the window of her home in a small town named Sonora, California. She sighed loudly and flopped on her back, hitting her head on her history book. She had been doing her homework but got bored and stopped. She picked up a manga book and stared at the cover. It was a very compelling story about two brothers. She had only started reading the series about a year ago, but quickly became obsessed with it. Ever since she first realized her obsession, she had wanted to leave her world for another one, specifically the world in which the two brothers lived. Her life had crumbled in the past several years. She finally felt the effects of her parents' divorce (which had been finalized when she was around four or five) and found it hard to find a group of people around whom she could be the person she had become. Once, she even tried taking her life.

She closed her eyes and held the book to her face, blocking out the fading sunlight. She turned up the volume on her ipod and drowned out the world. Not that anyone would notice. Her younger brother had detention that after noon and would be picked up by her mom, who was still at work. Her dad lived in Arizona and she could care less what he thought or felt because she hated him for not accepting her for the quirky girl she was. She as a junior in high school and had to spend the summer with him, but after next year, when she turned eighteen, she wouldn't have to go there anymore. It was October and her birthday wouldn't come for another couple months. Only after Christmas vacation would she turn seventeen and begin eagerly counting down her last year of being controlled by her parents.

"Man, I can't wait until I'm eighteen and can move out of this little hick town!" she grumbled to the air. Her gray cat jumped on her bed suddenly, freaking her out. She sat up with a jolt and hit her head very hard on the bars supporting the top bed of her bunk bed, which she had outgrown several years ago. She leaned her head back until she could feel the cold pages filled with random facts about World War Two America against her skin. "Either that or time travel or whatever to get to their world." She added, staring at the manga.

"Anything to get out of here." She said. A bright light flashed, illuminating everything in her small room. She felt very odd, like her body was warping. Her surroundings disappeared in the light and she felt like she was flying. No, not flying – falling. She was falling very fast out of the sky.

* * *

Edward and Alphonse looked up. Something very bright had flashed in the sky almost directly above their heads. Edward shrugged it off as a rocket, seeing as how he had been around them quite a bit recently.

"Brother…" Alphonse started.

"Yeah, what?" Edward replied, turning around. Alphonse stared upward and pointed at the sky.

"I think someone's falling." He said bluntly.

"Don't be ridiculous, Al. People don't just materialize in the sky and crash land on peoples' heads." He laughed. Alphonse still pointed at the sky, slowly moving his finger down like it was tracking something… or some_one_ as he claimed. Edward, humoring him, looked up in time to see the body of a girl hurtle towards him. Without thinking, he caught her, her weight and the speed at which she fell sending him into the ground. "On second thought, I take it back." He added, sitting up. The girl lay sprawled across his lap, unmoving. Alphonse crouched down next to them. He gently poked the girl's side. She convulsed and sat up.

"Ugh… Whew, that was weird. Definitely no more coffee for me." She muttered, dragging a hand through her short blond hair. She blinked and looked around.

"Are you okay?" Alphonse asked. She looked at him.

"Well, considering that I just fell out of the sky and crash landed on him, I'm doin' pretty good. You?" she asked, obviously trying to be friendly.

"I'm great, thanks for asking. Now would you get off me?" Edward snapped. The girl nodded and stood up, brushing dust off her pants. The boys studied her closely. She wore strange clothes- pants made out of some fabric they weren't familiar with, a black belt with small silver pyramids on it, a short jacket with red, black, and white stripes, and a black tank top. A red wire came out of one ear and trailed down to her hand. Alphonse tugged at it and it came out.

"My headphones!" she cried. "Cries of yay, that means I still have my ipod!" Alphonse helped his brother off the ground, trying to understand the girl's strange way of talking. She spoke really fast and used some words he wasn't familiar with. She turned to them. "Thanks for stopping my fall. It would've been one gnarly crime scene."

"You're not from around here, are you?" Edward asked, slightly put off by the girl's strangeness.

"I dunno. Where's here?" she asked.

"We're a few miles from Munich, Germany." Alphonse replied. The girl's clam demeanor was replaced by a pensive look.

"What's the date today?" she asked.

"December 15, 1923." Alphonse replied.

"Holy mother…!" she cried, covering her mouth with her hand. "You sure it's not October 7, 2009?"

"Quite certain." Edward replied. The girl sat down, shock taking over.

"That means… I'm free. I'm not in my world anymore. I can do anything I want!" she muttered to herself. "¡Qué cheveré!" she cried, using a different language. She looked up meekly, as if she just realized she had an audience. "sorry." She apologized, standing up.

"It's okay." Alphonse smiled.

"Heyy… if we're in Germany, how come you're not speaking German?" she asked.

"Do you want us to?" Alphonse asked. The girl shook her head.

"No, thanksies, but I don't speak German. Well, I can say 'thank you very much' but that's about it." She said quickly, using more strange words. "I'm kinda culturally retarded." She said, smiling a bit.

"That's nice, but we gotta go." Edward said gruffly, tugging on his brother's sleeve and walking away.

"You're just gonna ditch me?" the girl cried after them.

"I don't know what you mean by 'ditch' but we're going and you're not coming." Edward called over his shoulder. He heard the girl run up to them.

"Ditch-noun: a channel dug out, usually in the ground, for drainage. Verb: to abandon someone without their knowledge." She recited huffily. "Can't I at least come with you to town?" she whined.

"Come on Brother. Maybe someone in town can help her." Alphonse urged.

"But she can't speak German. How is she supposed to get help?" Edward snarled. The girl kicked his leg.

"Maybe I don't need your help. Thank you for being so nice to me," she said to Alphonse. "But I don't like you in the least!" she turned to Edward. "Sayonara!" she called, turning on her heel and marching off in the direction the brothers were going. A few minutes later she slipped and fell down the side of the hill the road was on.

"You'll never make it around here without help." A male voice said. She looked up into Alphonse's face. He offered his hand. "If you're willing to accept, I'm offering."

"Thank you." She said almost shyly, taking his hand.

"My name's Alphonse Elric, but you can call me Al. That's my big brother Ed." Alphonse said, pointing to the blond standing moodily in the middle of the road. The girl blushed a little and jerked her hand away.

"I'm Christin. I don't have a last name. Well, I did, but I'm not going to use it anymore. There's no point." The girl said, tucking her hair behind her ear. "Please don't shorten it to 'Chris'. I hate when people shorten my name." she added. She and Alphonse walked a few steps behind Edward.

"Where are you from?" Alphonse asked.

"I'm from a small town in California. America. You've probably never heard of it, it's so tiny." She said. "Sonora?" she asked.

"Sonora… oh, I remember something about a gold rush, right?" Alphonse asked. Christin smiled and nodded. Alphonse then began talking to his brother, who occasionally nodded or grunted in response. Christin felt around her pockets for her ipod and almost screamed when she saw that it had fused with her hand. The control buttons and screen could be seen on the back of her left hand, but the device itself had vanished. Cautiously, she pressed the menu button. The screen lit up, displaying the song that she had been listening to prior to her… current situation. She turned down the volume and pressed play. Aiden's "the Last Sunrise" began playing softly. She couldn't see speakers or anything, so guessed the music was playing through her body. She put in her headphones and the sound became very soft, like she was used to.

"What's that?" Edward asked, stopping.

"What?" Alphonse asked. Edward looked around.

"I hear sounds. It sounds like it might be music, but it's no music I've ever heard." He said. He watched Christin walk up to them and stop.

"Something wrong?" she asked, looking up from her hand. Edward noticed the light and grabbed her hand, turning it around and examining it. "Hello?"

"That's weird. I think this is making the sounds." Edward said, pointing to Christin's hand. He pressed his finger to the small white circle on her hand. The small screen changed, displaying a list of artists he wasn't familiar with. After a few minutes of being toyed with, Christin snatched her hand back.

"Do I look like a toy? Haven't you…. Oh that's right. I forgot." She said. "Ipods wouldn't exist here, at least, not yet. But, if we're in a different dimension, then they wouldn't exist at all."

"Listen, don't play with that anymore, okay? You're enough of a spectacle as it is. Keep that thing hidden and don't go around showing it to people." Edward instructed.

"Why, cuz if I do I'll wind up in some lab somewhere strapped to a table with wires poking out of my brain cuz I'm some sort of freak?" she mocked. Edward nodded, holding out a glove. She took it and put it on.

"Keep that on until I say you can take it off." He instructed.

"That means I'm stuck with you, doesn't it?" she asked, flexing her fingers. The glove was a little big, but Edward was a guy and guys usually have larger builds than girls. Edward said nothing and kept walking forward.

Eventually, the three made it to town. Christin sat down on the ground, entirely out of breath. She had never been very physically fit and any sort of physical activity wore her out. In hopes of making her less conspicuous, she had donned Edward's overcoat and promised not to speak much because of her strange way of speaking.

"Hey, Ed, who's your friend?" a man called from across the street.

"Hm? Oh, that's… Chris. He's from out of town." Edward replied. Christin growled.

"Now I'm a guy?" she hissed angrily.

"It's easier to explain having a guy stay with us than a girl." He retorted, dragging her through town.

"Yes, because guys have boobs." She snapped, pointing at her chest. Alphonse sighed.

"Hey, Gracia, can I ask a favor?" Edward called, poking his head inside a flower shop. A woman with short brown hair looked up from the roses she was arranging.

"Sure. What is it?" she asked. "Oh, who's your friend? He's cute."

"I'm a girl, lady." Christin said wryly. She sighed and hung her head. "Do I really look like a guy?" she asked Alphonse. He shrugged.

"That's what the favor is. Do you have some clothes she could borrow?" Edward asked.

"I might, though I don't know if anything will fit her. She's rather on the short side, unlike Noa." Gracia beckoned Christin to follow her. She meekly obliged.

"We'll be back in an hour. Thanks." Edward grinned, pushing his brother out the door. An hour later, Christin and Gracia sat in the shop. Gracia sipped tea and Christin fidgeted uncomfortably.

"Uhhh… thanks…" she muttered.

"You're welcome." Gracia smiled.

"My name's Christin." She said shyly.

"That's a pretty name. I'm Gracia." The older woman replied.

"You're pretty too. I mean your name. N-not that I'm saying you're not pretty – you're a very attractive woman… um…" Christin floundered. "You get it…" she finished.

"Thank you." Gracia smiled.

"Are you sure I can have this?" Christin asked, looking down at the dress Gracia had tailored to fit her. It was very dark blue, almost black and came down to her knees.

"Of course. I have plenty others. Besides, I haven't worn that since I was your age. It's yours to keep."

"I'm back." Edward called. Christin jolted nervously. "Let's go." Edward said from the doorway. Christin stood up, grabbed the bag with the clothes she previously wore and followed Edward to an apartment. Alphonse sat at a table, talking to a girl with dark hair and skin. "Noa, this is Christin. She's going to stay with us for a while." Edward said, shrugging out of his jacket. Christin waved nervously. Noa stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You have no home either. You're like us." She said, drawing her hand back.

"Sure. I'll roll with that." Christin said.

"Noa's a fortune teller." Alphonse grinned. Christin nodded slowly.

"Dancer too." She added.

"What?" Noa asked, turning around to face her.

"You're a dancer too, right? Your movements, the way you walk. It's way too graceful for a normal person." Christin clarified. Noa grinned. A cat meowed loudly.

"Al, did you bring home another cat?" Edward asked. Alphonse grinned meekly.

"It was just sitting there all lonely and sad…" he said, picking up the small orange cat that was rubbing its face on his legs. It meowed and leapt out of his arms and strutted up to Christin, meowing loudly. She crouched down and picked it up. Then she meowed back.

"Oh. We got a weird one this time." Edward groaned, watching the cat and Christin meow at each other.

"Yes. Yes I am weird. How nice of you to notice." She said, standing and looking up at Edward.

"You admit you're weird?" he asked.

She nodded. "Weird, crazy, psycho, odd, any title works. I'm as far from normal as you can get, I guess." She grinned.

"Great…" Edward replied. "Just when I thought things would go back to normal."

"Hey dude." Christin said, turning his face so he looked at her. "There ain't no such thing as 'normal'. Especially with me around." Edward really dreaded the mischievous glint in her eyes.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, I know I have my other story, but I wanted to get this idea down before I forgot it. I'm still working on chapter 12 of Catch Me As I Fall, so just hang in there, kay? I'll update as soon as I can._


	2. There and Back Again

2: There and Back Again

Christin sat on the couch, shivering badly. It wasn't particularly cold, but she always got very cold very quickly and shivered violently. Sometimes she could repress the shivering, but it would manifest as a twitch, in which case she would claim to have Tourette's. The clock on the wall read 2:37 and rain was falling steadily outside. She rubbed her numb hands together and flexed her fingers. They moved very slowly. She pressed her hands to her cheeks and jerked them away quickly. No matter how many times she touched her skin, the icy feeling always made her jump. She and her friends had given them the name "vampire hands". Reminiscing made her heart ache, so she stopped, tucking her frozen hands under her arms for warmth. The nightdress she had borrowed from Noa was a few sizes too big and constantly hung off one shoulder no matter how many times she fixed it.

"What are you doing?" a female voice asked softly. Christin jumped and turned her head. Noa stood in the doorway.

"Shivering my brains out. Why?" she replied.

"I was just wondering. It's late, you should be sleeping." Noa said.

"I could say the same to you, but it's not my place to speak. I'm a guest, however uninvited, and should show proper etiquette." She replied, another round of shivers wracking her body. She grabbed her blankets and began wrapping them firmly around her body in an attempt at warmth. The blankets were cold too and didn't help.

"Well, as a host, I should follow proper etiquette as well, but I won't. I'm only going to say this once: Don't get in my way." Noa threatened. With that remark hanging in the air, Noa turned and left. Christin blinked and sighed.

"Of all the things I've ever wished for, I never thought I'd wish I was back home." She muttered, settling down on her makeshift bed and falling into a very chilly sleep. The scent of food tickled her nose and eased her out of her dreamless slumber. She sat up and yawned, raking a numb hand through her hair. Using one of the hair bands on her wrist, she tied it back in a low ponytail. Mentally, she smiled. Her hair brushed the very upper part of her back, near her shoulders, something that she had been devoid of in the past year as she kept her hair cut so short a single ponytail was impossible. Alphonse sat at the table, reading a book. Noa stood at the stove, cooking. Christin pulled on her shoes, having changed into her clothes when she woke up around four that morning from violent shivers again, and walked silently to the table. Rain made a steady pounding on the roof and ground outside.

"Good morning." Alphonse smiled.

"Morning." She replied. "Whatcha reading?" she asked, sitting down.

"It's called 'Mein Kampf' by Adolf Hitler." Alphonse replied. He met Christin's shocked expression with a confused one.

"Are you a Nazi?" she asked in a low tone.

"What?" Alphonse asked.

"A Nazi. Y'know… the Nationalist… Socialist Worker's Compensation or something. The people who go around wearing swastikas and crying 'Heil Hitler!' and…" she cut off.

"Okay, one, slow down. I can barely understand you. Two, I'm not a Nazi." Alphonse chuckled. "And neither is Noa nor Ed." He added.

"Sorry. I get paranoid easily." She apologized. After a few seconds of staring at him, she pressed a hand to his face. He squealed and scooted away.

"Your hands are ice cold!" he cried, pressing his own hand to his face. Christin grinned and began chasing him around the table. "No! They're cold!"

"I'm going." Edward said as he walked in the room. His eyes lingered on the scene in front of him. Alphonse had grabbed Christin's wrists and was holding her at arm's length.

"Have a good day." Alphonse chirped. Edward waved and left.

"Where's he going?" Christin asked, dropping her arms. Alphonse resumed his position at the table and marked his page in the book.

"Work. Bills don't pay themselves." He answered, eating the food Noa set before him. "And those who don't work don't deserve to eat. Starting today, you're going to help Noa around the house."

"Fair enough." Christin agreed. Alphonse finished his breakfast and went off to his job as well, leaving the two girls alone.

"Oh, Ed forgot his lunch." Noa said as she put the dirty dishes in the sink.

"I'll take it to him." Christin offered, the threat from the night before completely forgotten. Noa sighed and wrote down directions. She would've gone herself, but hated the taunting for being a Gypsy. So Noa set about her housework and Christin set off to find Edward and deliver his lunch. It was still raining rather hard and ten minutes of walking through town had left her all but soaked. She stopped under an awning to read over the directions Noa gave her. Edward worked as a car mechanic, fixing engines and whatnot. She mentioned something about rockets, but Christin wasn't paying much attention. The rain showed no signs of easing up, so she resumed her soggy trek.

"Excuse me, may I ask where you're going on such a rainy day?" an older man asked, his driver pulling the car up to the curb.

"Um, I'm trying to find a car repair shop. My friend forgot his lunch, see, and I guess I got kinda lost." She said. "Uh… if you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction, I'll be on my way." She showed him the directions.

"Ah! I'm going there myself. I have a friend who works there. I'll give you a ride, if you don't mind joining me." He smiled. Christin hopped in the car, combing her wet hair with her fingers. She really hoped her ipod wouldn't short circuit or something because of the rain. "My name's Fritz Lang. I make movies." He introduced himself.

"My name's Christin. I don't have a last name and I… time travel." She replied. "Just kidding." She grinned. The driver pulled up to a curb. Christin heard the different sounds of mechanics working on cars. "Thank you." She got out of the car and proceeded to inch slowly into the hubbub.

"Hey pretty lady! Whatcha doin' in a place like this?" someone taunted. Christin was followed by wolf calls, whistling and other such noises men make when they see something the like. Soon she had a small pack of greasy mechanics tailing her as she searched for Edward.

"Aw, what's the rush? Come stay a while and get to know us better." Another pleaded.

"I can't. I'm looking for someone." She replied coolly. Amidst the chaos behind her, she heard Edward's voice, though it was slightly muffled. Fritz stood nearby, chatting. He noticed her and she motioned for him to keep quiet about her arrival. He nodded, instantly understanding her reason – she wanted to scare Edward. The crowd dispersed and she waited patiently for ten minutes. Edward finally emerged from the engine he was working on and jumped.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, almost hyperventilating. He had not noticed her until that moment for she had stood very still and remained very quiet.

"Noa sent me." She said, holding out the food.

"how long have you been standing there?" he asked.

"About ten minutes." She replied, clasping her hands together behind her back. Edward shook his head dismissively and returned to his work. "I don't get a thank you? I got completely soaked and lost trying to help you. If it wasn't for him I would've died of pneumonia or something!"

Edward sighed and straightened up. "Thank you." He replied, wiping his cheek and smearing oil on it in the process. He went back to work and Christin stood where she was, feeling very awkward. "You can go home now." He said, irritation creeping into his voice.

"I don't remember how I got here." She admitted dryly.

"You can't be serious." He groaned. He sighed yet again and stopped working to think. "Alright. I have a doctor's appointment later. If you stay quiet and out of my way, I'll take you home after that."

"Okay." Christin agreed. And so she spent the next three hours watching Edward fix cars. She talked with Fritz about the movies he made, having seen nor heard of any of them. Several times she had to help Edward and was really glad for taking auto shop in her freshman year of high school. She was standing by, ready to give him the tools he needed when she noticed something.

"What?" he asked.

"Uh… your skin is um… peeling off." She said, pointing to his right arm.

"Oh. That happens a lot. It's fine." He said. Christin gave him a confused look. "It's a fake arm." He explained.

"Oh…" she muttered. "Blond hair, golden eyes and a false limb… you seem so familiar, yet I can't place you in my memories."

"You say something?" Edward asked.

"No." she replied, shaking her head. The two left shortly after walking through the wet streets. Snow began falling but the ground was too wet for it to stick so soon enough everyone out that day was slogging through slush. Christin watched her breath fog in front of her. She felt like crap. Her clothes were still wet and she was very cold. The doctor's office was warm, though.

"Will you hold this please?" Edward asked as he shrugged out of his coat. Christin obliged.

"What happened to your gypsy girl, Ed?" an officer asked.

"Officer Hughes." Edward acknowledged the man. "She's at home." The doctor poked and prodded Edward's fake arm. Christin sneezed.

"Salúd." the man behind the screen said, his Latino accent thick.

"Gracias." Christin replied. Edward looked at her. "What?" she asked.

"You speak Spanish?" he asked. She nodded and sneezed again.

"Maybe while you're here I should look at her too." The doctor offered.

"I'm fine." Christin protested, sniffling. "It's just a cold." The doctor resumed examining Edward and she let her eyes wander. They fell on the Latino man who was behind the screen. He looked exactly like the father she hated so much. A Small sound escaped her throat.

"Christin, my coat." Edward said, rolling down his shirt sleeves. She handed him the garment, her eyes still locked on her father's doppelganger. In the hallway, she saw someone who looked exactly like her best friend. She shook her head and approached the man.

"Perdón, pero cual es tú nombre?" she asked.

"Estaban Luego. ¿Porque, señorita?" he replied.

"Oh… gracias señor." She said. The girl who looked like her friend walked by again.

"Christin?" Edward asked as she bolted down the hall. He quickly donned his coat and followed her.

'Why are people from my world here? I thought I left them all when I came here!' she thought angrily. 'The one thing I thought I was free from was seeing all those people!' she stopped the girl and looked at her. Only her face was the same, because she talked in a language Christin could not understand. "Sorry…" she muttered. She looked around. She had gotten completely lost. Several men were staring at her. Several more had grouped around her.

"Christin!" Edward called. "That girl is more trouble than she looks!" he mumbled to himself.

"Ed!" she called back, sounding not so far away. He spotted the group of men and recognized her voice, though her words were indistinct. "What are you doing? Hey! Let go of me!" A man screamed in pain and she burst through the crowd, running at top speed. She felt her body take on that warped feeling and saw that she was glowing white slightly. She collided with Edward and they both were engulfed in a bright light. When the light faded, they hit the ground. Christin sat up and rubbed her head. She looked around and instantly recognized her surroundings.

"Where are we?" Edward asked. He looked around at the metal lockers lining a wall, the green doors with numbers on them. "Stay here, I'm going to ask someone where we are." He got up and went through a door with an "11" on it.

"Wait, Edward, I know where we are! Don't g—"she stopped and grabbed his arm, trying to haul him back out the door.

"Cool beans! We have guests." A teacher said. Christin looked around at the history posters lining the wall and the confused students staring at them. Her eyes locked on two.

"Who are they?" the one with black hair asked.

"Why are they dressed so old fashioned?" the one with puffy brown hair asked.

"Katie. Kelsie." Christin breathed. Again, she felt her body warp and saw the glow, but she didn't notice.

"This is weird," Katie said.

"What? I don't understand. Don't you recognize me…"she saw the date on the whiteboard. It read June 2, 2010. With that, both she and Edward disappeared into the white light.

"Weird…" Kelsie said.

"What's weird?" Katie asked.

"I… don't know. What are we talking about?" Kelsie replied.

"Dunno." Katie shrugged.

Edward and Christin materialized in the apartment, landing hard on the ground. "What was that?" he asked.

"I went back… I was able to go back. That was my world. From your perspective the future, of sorts." She replied softly. She was trembling slightly and looked like she was going to cry. "They forgot me. I really am worthless, so much so that my own friends don't remember me." Christin sat up slowly. Then she did something she almost never did – she cried. Edward left her alone and motioned for a slightly stunned Noa to follow him.

"I want you to find out about her. Use your powers like you did with me." He said.

"Why?" Noa asked.

"I think that the more we know about her, the easer it'll be to keep her under control." Edward explained.

"But she's been very docile since she showed up. What makes you think she'd be out of control?" Noa questioned.

"You didn't see her this afternoon. Look, just do it, okay?" he sighed. Noa nodded.

* * *

_A/N: Okay, finally updating one of my stories. I'll update CMAIF soon, i promise. I'm still working on chapter 13, but i'm running out of ideas so if you hae a suggestion, PLEASE LET ME KNOW!!! i'M DESPERATE FOR AN IDEA!! okay, sorry 'bout that._


	3. Tension

3: Tension

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. Noa tried many times to get a clear view of who Christin really was, but always failed.

"She's very confused. She doesn't know what to think or do so chooses to do what others tell her. She's lost sight of herself. All I get are scattered fragments that don't make sense." She reported one night.

Christin kept mostly to herself, avoiding Edward completely and talking only to Alphonse, around whom she felt comfortable. He often asked if anything was wrong, and she always denied it.

"Why do you keep asking me that?" she asked. Alphonse sighed.

"You just look so sad all the time." He replied. Christin chuckled dryly.

"I get that a lot, even back in my old world. I guess that's just how my face looks. I smile when I have a reason to." She said. Alphonse pondered this for a bit.

"I know! Celebrating people's birthdays always makes them happy." He grinned. Christin blinked. As Alphonse chattered, her heart began to ache.

"Why are you trying so hard to make me happy?" she asked softly.

"Well… I like you. And I hate seeing you so sad all the time." He answered gently.

"Alphonse, listen carefully, because I'm only going to say this once….. My mind has slowly been warped over the span of my life. People betrayed me and left me and called me worthless and useless and a failure and even a mistake. That hurt me. Now I don't trust people easily. It takes a long time for me to warm up to someone completely. I have these invisible barriers… mental walls surrounding who I really am inside. Because of my natural distrust of people, anyone who tries to climb over those walls usually gives up halfway. They call me a cold-hearted, snobby bitch and walk away. Because of that I have very few friends. Like here. You're my only friend." Christin explained.

"What about back in your world? Surely you had friends there." He urged.

"I had three or four good friends. But it took nearly three years to get to that point – friends. It's not about who can reach the walls and who can start climbing. It's about who has the strength to keep climbing, even if it seems hopeless. Those people become my friends. Back before I came here, you could've asked anyone for their honest opinion of me and only my friends would've told you how amazing I can be. Their words not mine." She grinned.

"Where do I stand on your 'walls'?" Alphonse asked. Christin looked at him and smiled.

"You climbed over it about a month ago." She replied, glancing out the window to the midday March sun. "Well done."

"Do you sing?" he asked, changing the subject. Christin cast him a confused look. "Well, sometimes I've woken up to someone singing late at night. The songs are strange, so I assumed it was you."

"Ohh… yeah, that's probably me. I sing in my sleep sometimes." She admitted. Alphonse stifled a laugh. "No, seriously! Some people talk in their sleep, others walk. I sing." She said quickly, blushing. "So it's that bad, huh?"

"Well, you're a little pitchy, but otherwise you're okay." He laughed.

"I'm much better when I'm fully conscious." Christin said. Alphonse gave her an "oh, really?" look. "Want proof?" she demanded. Alphonse crossed his arms and nodded. Christin removed the glove on her left hand and rifled through the songs on her ipod. She selected Somewhere I Belong by Linkin Park, mostly because she could match the singer's vocal range very well and partially because she had never really sang the song before. Sure, she hummed parts and sang others softly when she thought no one was nearby to hear her.

"Something good." Alphonse stated. Christin smirked and pressed play. Several minutes later she finished. "Well, you certainly exceeded my standards." He said almost shakily.

"That's called music?" Edward's voice broke in.

"Where I'm from, yes. It is. Got a problem with it?" she snapped.

"Keep it down." He snapped back. "I'd rather not have to listen to that crap all the time."

"You're crap!" she barked.

"I have to agree with Ed. You're really noisy." Noa said.

"Now you're against me too?" she turned on Noa.

"You're just a drifter. We took you in because we wanted to be nice to you. We can just as easily turn you out on the streets!" Noa cried.

"Oh, like you can talk. Gypsies are drifters too. Look, I've been doing the best I can to fit in here, to make you like me! I've never done that for anyone, ever! I would just go around being myself, and if they didn't like it, they fucking dealt with it! I've been completely out of character ever since I wound up here three months ago, just so you would accept me!" Christin raged. Noa walked up to her and slapped her.

"Don't you dare speak to me like that again, you selfish ingrate!" she cried.

"Slapping is such a sissy move. Surely that ain't all you got!" Christin growled. She punched Noa in the face. Then the two girls completely lost control, scratching and biting and all sorts of things. Noa shoved Christin into a wall. Christin broke one of Noa's hands. Edward and Alphonse tried to break up the fight, getting rather beat up in the process.

"Both of you stop it!" Alphonse cried, trying to separate the two. Edward ground his teeth together. He had wedged himself in between them, trying to become a barrier of sorts.

"Knock it off!" he yelled. His hand flew and hit Christin's cheek. All four stood paralyzed. Christin raised a shaky hand to her cheek, cradling it gently.

"I hate you." she muttered before dashing out the door. Edward stared after her blankly.

"Why did you do that Brother?" Alphonse asked. "She was just starting to open up about herself! Why do you have to be so excessive?!" Edward brushed his bangs out of his eyes.

"If you're so concerned about her, then you can go find her. I don't care anymore." He said coldly. Alphonse turned and ran after Christin. He didn't know where she had gone, so he picked a direction and started walking. Edward and Noa cleaned up as best as they could then headed out for the doctors'. Both had some deep gashed that would need to be stitched up and Noa would need to have her hand set so it could heal. Christin in turn wandered the backstreets and alleys, not caring about her injuries.

"Why did I think it would be any different here? No one cares about me. I'm just as useless as I always was, no matter where I go." She muttered bitterly, wiping blood out of her eye. Her leg hurt whenever she put pressure on it, so walking was a challenge, but still she pressed on. By the time the stars came out, she had meandered to a large warehouse. Lights were on and she could hear noise inside, so she went to investigate. It was a movie set. Dozens of people were mulling about, doing their jobs. A large hand grabbed her arm roughly.

"What happened to you?" Fritz asked. Christin looked at herself. Her clothes were tattered and torn and stained with blood. Multiple cuts ravaged her skin, the blood having dried a while ago. Her cheek stung from being hit twice, once by Noa and the other by Edward's fake arm, and her leg was almost completely stiff.

"Let's just say I don't think I'll be going back anytime soon." She muttered, shifting her weight. Pain shot through her leg and she almost blacked out. Fritz picked her up and carried her to his car, saying something about a hospital. It took all of Christin's strength to stay conscious. An hour later she lay in a hospital bed. Her cuts had been stitched up and her leg, which had been fractured, sat in a splint. She drifted in and out of consciousness. When she woke up, she was Alphonse sitting by her bed. He had a large bandage on his neck and another one around his head. She guessed he had more wounds under his clothes, but decided not to pursue the matter.

"Morning." He said. Christin sat up slowly, her head spinning slightly.

"Did I do that?" she asked, eyeing his visible wounds.

"Some of it. Noa and Brother did the rest. How are you feeling?" he asked gently. Christin's head swam in pain and she reeled over, nearly blacking out again.

"Could be better." She admitted. She saw her body glowing white and tried to make it go away. The warping feeling washed over her. "Alphonse, I'm going to Jump again!" she cried, reaching out for him. In a flash of light, the two were sitting in a field somewhere. Alphonse saw a yellow house in the distance and instantly knew where they were. Another flash and they were back in the hospital.

"What just happened?" he asked shakily.

"A Jump." Christin explained. "It's what I call… what happens to me when I glow white… I jump through time and space, going back and forth between my world and this one. I don't know how to control it. It just happens. Sorry you had to go with me that time."

"We went to my world." He said softly. Christin looked at him.

"What?" she asked.

"The world my brother and I came from. We were there just now. Maybe… maybe you can take us back home." He said, growing more enthusiastic. "You can be our ticket out of here!"

"Where do you think we're going?" Edward asked from the doorway. "You're talking nonsense, Al."

"Brother, I was there. I was home! I didn't have to go through the Gate at all! We can get back!" Alphonse cried. For a moment, Edward looked like he believed Alphonse.

"They must've given you drugs that messed with your head." Edward said. "There's no way we can go home without opening the Gate."

"You liar." Christin scoffed. "You went with me to my world that one time. We didn't have to go through a gate or anything, we just went. It was the same with Al. We just went. Jumping can get us all home. Please believe me, Edward."

"Why should I? Look what you did to us! Alphonse had a concussion! You nearly scratched my eyes out! Noa's hand is broken because of you!" he cried. Christin flinched.

"I'm sorry." She muttered.

"Huh?" Edward asked.

"I'm sorry I did that. I'm sorry I hurt you, sorry I couldn't be better, and sorry I couldn't live up to your expectations. You're exactly like my father. I'm not good enough, and you hate me for it. What do I have to do to make you like me? Just tell me what to do and I'll do it!" she cried, tears threatening her eyes though she knew they would not fall.

"I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have hit you. And Noa should not have said those things to you." Edward apologized. Alphonse quietly left the room.

"I don't hate you." Christin said softly. "I can understand why you hit me, and I probably deserved it. I was just so confused. I've been dealing with my loss the entire time all by myself. I should've talked to someone, but I didn't know any of you well enough for that. I just exploded. You left your home world, too, right? Do you think your loved ones there forgot you?"

"No, I don't think so. Why?" Edward replied.

"It seems that in exchange for getting my wish – leaving my world behind for another – cost me my entire existence back home. I just can't forget the faces of my friends, how they looked at me like I was a complete stranger. And if my friends forgot me, I can only guess that my family forgot I ever existed as well. It's not easy, dealing with that kind of loss all by yourself." Christin finished. "Now I really have nothing."

"You liar." Edward scoffed, mimicking her earlier tone. "You have us." Christin smiled.

"Thanks. Come on now, let's hug." She chirped.

"No. I'm good." Edward protested.

"Why not? It's just a hug." Christin said.

"I don't want a hug." Edward said.

"Oh, don't be like that. I hardly ever hug anyone, even my friends and family. It's not like I have cooties or anything." Christin pressed.

"I don't want one." Edward repeated.

"Fine. I won't hug you then. Have it your way." She said, raising her arms in defeat. Edward glared.

"Make up your mind, woman!" he snapped. Christin grinned.

"I did. I decided I don't want to hug you anymore." She smirked.

"Well, what if I want to hug you?" he asked.

"You said you didn't want one. Make up your mind, woman!" she mocked him, making a funny face. While the two argued about hugs, Noa and Alphonse stood in the hallway just outside the door, doubling over with laughter.

"They're fighting about a hug?" Noa asked when she stopped to breathe.

"Guess so." Alphonse confirmed.

"She's not as bad as I thought. Actually, she's really funny." Noa said. "And I liked her singing." She added.

"Yeah. There's just something about her that's completely captivating." Alphonse agreed. Edward emerged from the room, a puzzled look on his face.

"Who won?" Alphonse asked, trying to stifle a laugh.

"I'm not sure. She kept changing sides. First she wanted a hug, and then she didn't. Then I wanted one and she wouldn't let me. Then when I said I didn't want one anymore, she claimed the opposite and then I just left. Her way of thinking gives me a headache." He groaned.

"The key is not to think about it too much!" Christin called from the room. "But it's okay! I give myself headaches a lot and you'll get used to it!" Edward threw his hands up.

"Oh my god just shut up! You win already! My brains are going to explode if you keep it up any longer!" he growled, poking his head through the door. "…do you think she can travel?" he asked Noa and Alphonse.

"What?" they asked in unison.

"I want her to come with us when we track down that bomb." Edward explained.

"What for? Comic relief?" Alphonse asked.

"Well, yes, that. And she can be lethal when she wants. I mean, look at us. We look like we just came home from war." Edward gestured at them.

"I see your point." Noa agreed. "She could be a valuable asset, mostly because she doesn't look like she can fight at all." She looked at her broken hand.

"I heard that!" she called. "If you want I can kick your butt again!" she said in a sing-song voice.

"So we agree? She comes with us?" Edward asked. Alphonse and Noa nodded. "Hey Christin, th—" Edward stopped. "I thought I told you not to play with that device anymore!" he barked. The music stopped.

"Yes, Daddy!" she quipped. Edward hit his head against the door frame.

"That girl's going to kill me." He grumbled. Alphonse and Noa snuck around him and into the room to talk with Christin about their plans. He couldn't help letting a smile spread across his face. He had a feeling that he journey was going to be _very_ interesting… and he liked it.

* * *

_A/N: okie-dokie, updating. writer's block sucks mizerably. if you have any ideas for CMAIF or this story, please let me know. that's partially why production on these stories has all but stopped. i'll update them again... eventually...._


	4. Intimacy part 1

4: Intimacy part 1

Christin sat by the edge of the road, blankly staring in front of her. She missed her home world terribly. Sure, she hated it, but she missed all the familiar things she couldn't find here like internet. She had figured out a way to charge her ipod, so she still had the music she so desperately needed. She removed the fork she had clamped between her teeth and wound the wire connecting it to another fork which in turn was connected to a makeshift solar panel. One year had passed since her first Jump that landed her in this world. Things had been rough at first, but she adapted. She and Noa no longer fought, physically at least. Edward still yelled at her, but not as much as before. And she found that talking to Alphonse made her stomach hurt.

"If that keeps up I think I'm gonna die." She muttered.

"Are you talking to yourself again?" Alphonse's voice broke into her thoughts. She jumped and nearly fell over. "Sorry." He laughed.

"It's okay. I was just… never mind. What's up?" she replied, standing up and brushing dust and dirt off her clothes.

"Brother said that we're going to America next. Some bigwig over there is interested in the bomb, he said." Alphonse reported.

"Oh yeah… cuz without that how would the Americans bomb Japan?" she asked herself. "Good. I'm getting sick of all these French people with their escargot and croissants and annoying accents." In the past year, the four had traveled through Germany, England, and France trying to track down a uranium bomb. Christin just went along with it, having not much else to do. Alphonse waved and rejoined Edward at the bottom of a hill.

"Have a nice chat?" he asked, grinning.

Alphonse blushed. "Yeah…"

"She's too young for you." Edward said, still grinning.

"She's eighteen! That's at least four years older physically and one year younger in reality!" he cried, blushing redder.

"But in reality she was born in 1993. Its 1925 right now. _Really_, you're at least eighty some odd years older and she's not even supposed to exist yet." Edward replied. Alphonse looked at the ground, unable to come up with a response. He really liked Christin, a lot. Yes, she was more than a little weird and acted unbelievably immature sometimes and overly mature at others, but that was part of why he liked her so much. He never exactly knew what she was going to do or say next unless she told him, but she would always change her mind at the last minute. And there was the way she looked at him once in a while, like he reminded her of someone she knew but couldn't recall exactly who it was. She looked at Edward like that sometimes too. He didn't know why, but that look made him sad. He shrugged it off and wandered into the barn they had settled in for the night. He found a decent patch of hay and flopped on the ground.

"You okay, Al?" Christin's voice asked gently. He slowly opened his eyes and met her ever changing from green to brown to grey to blue eyes.

"I'm tired is all." He replied truthfully. They had spent most of the day walking and he was beat. Only now did he see the fatigue Christin masked. She hardly slept and ate only sparingly, claiming that she was fine, that she did that all the time in her old world, but he knew that there was bound to be side effects of one form or another. "What about you? You look awful."

"Well, to be completely honest I feel like shit." She grumbled. Alphonse laughed. He loved the way she used vulgar language. He had heard people curse and swear before, but she made it funny. "My head hurts and I keep coughing."

"Are you getting sick?" he asked, sitting up. Christin pondered for a moment then shook her head.

"I hardly ever get sick, but when I do, it's kinda major. Like there was this one time when I was fourteen or fifteen and I caught a cold, I was ill for a month and my hearing was all screwed up. Everything was muted, like I was wearing headphones all the time, and I almost stopped talking completely cuz I would kinda yell to make my voice sound normal to my own ears. It sucked." She recalled, smiling grimly. "So let's just hope it's a cold, not the swine flu or something." Alphonse smiled. Christin sneezed and started coughing. She groaned and fell on her back.

"You don't always need to be so strong, Christin." He said almost absently. She cast him a confused look.

"English?" she prompted, meaning she wanted a clearer explanation.

"I've seen how you act; always rather shut off from others like you're scared they're going to hurt you if you get too close. You keep pressing forward, even when you've clearly reached your limits. I've never seen you cry or express any emotion, really. Why?" he asked seriously.

"You got me," she chuckled dryly. "I guess I am scared of being hurt, because I was hurt in the past. Every time I tried to get close to someone, something would get in the way and they would leave. After a while I stopped trusting people. I had to be strong. My parents split when I was very young and I was forced to go back and forth, living with my mom, then with my dad. Because I was so attached to them, I cried every time I changed custody. My dad, bitch that he is, told me that I needed to be strong, that big girls don't cry. The strain of the divorce and the notion of never having a true home eventually took its toll on me. When I was fourteen, I tried taking my life."

"Why would you do something like that?" Alphonse inquired softly. Christin rolled onto her side so she faced him.

"Because I was hurting. I was in so much pain and agony and everything seemed so awful that I just wanted to end it. People who attempt suicide don't really want to end their lives; they just want to end whatever pain they're in. At that point in my life, death seemed to be the only solution to my problems." She said, pushing her sleeve up so Alphonse could see her scars. "I did get better – I no longer considered dying, but… I was very unstable. I kept cutting because I was still hurting. All these scars are from my suffering, though I no longer remember what exactly made me cut."

"I'm sorry… I…" Alphonse stopped, unsure how to continue. He watched as Christin pushed up her other sleeve, revealing a white bandage around her wrist.

"Then I came here. Everything was turned upside-down and inside-out and I didn't know what to do. Remember last week, how you and Edward found me by a river?" she asked. Alphonse nodded. "I had a break down. I tried so hard for so long to deal with everything by myself, to shoulder all my burdens alone, that I collapsed under the weight of it all and tried to take my life again… I know I should've told someone, but…" she stopped, her voice breaking. "I just lost some testosterone there." She giggled. Alphonse smiled. She said the same thing when his voice began cracking and explained that it was an inside joke between her and her old friends that they got from a T.V. show.

"It's okay. You'll get through this. I'll help you; we all will." Alphonse said, placing his hand over hers comfortingly.

"Thanks." Christin whispered, sitting up.

"You have hay in your hair." Alphonse noted. Christin chuckled and reached a hand to her hair, pulling out some hay. She took it out of the messy bun she pulled it in earlier and shook it out.

"Did I get it all?" she asked. Alphonse smiled and shook his head as he reached to help her.

"Your hair grew quite a bit." He said as he combed her hair with his fingers, raking out the hay. It now reached the middle of her back and he saw that she was not a natural blond because her roots were brown. He worked slowly, enjoying the way her silky locks felt against his skin.

Christin sat patiently as Alphonse helped with her hair. Normally she had a strict "don't touch me" rule, but occasionally she made an exception. She was glad that her back was turned towards him because she was blushing insanely. She had never really gotten involved with the opposite sex before, so any contact, no matter how trite, made her react. She repressed a shudder as his hand brushed against her skin and bit her lip to keep from making any uncalled for sounds.

"Done." Alphonse said, dropping his hands. Christin turned around and looked at him. He was gazing at her intently with his grey-brown eyes, his hair falling over his forehead. She simply stared back. Then, without any hesitation or warning, they kissed.

* * *

_Don't kill me. i left it at a cliffhanger cuz i kinda got writer's block(that's also the reason it's kinda short). i've been sick so updating is kinda hard cuz i can't even walk without almost blacking out, let alone trudging to the computer. part 2 is next. please be patient. review and whatnot. ideas for CMAIF still needed._


	5. Intimacy part 2

5: Intimacy part 2

Edward walked into the barn idly. Noa had vanished a few hours ago without telling anyone. He stopped when he heard someone's shaky breathing. He grinned when he saw the sight in front of him. Both Alphonse and Christin were blushing redder than the red jacket he used to wear. They were turned away from each other. Alphonse was trying very hard not to smile while Christin merely placed a hand over her mouth. She looked up and made a strange noise, blushing harder.

"I'm not interrupting anything, am I?" he asked coyly. Christin's mouth flapped open and closed like she was having a hard time forming words. Alphonse stared wide eyed at his brother.

"N-no." he finally answered. Christin looked at the ground and stood up.

"E-excuse me…" she mumbled before running outside. The boys heard excited squealing and some incoherent words that were too happy to be profanity. Edward felt a pang of jealousy. His younger brother had gotten some before he had. Shouldn't it be the other way around?

"Brother…" Alphonse started. Edward grinned again and walked casually by his bro.

"Don't do anything drastic." He said. "No kids or anything until you're grown up and able to support a family." He teased.

"What?! What makes you think I'd do that?!" Alphonse cried. Then he caught on. "You're just jealous because she likes me better than you."

That struck a chord. Edward ceased walking. Was that it? Was he, unbeknownst to himself, attracted to the quirky girl? He did find himself thinking about her quite a bit, but that girl was so complex it was almost hard not to. No, he couldn't be attracted to her. He _wouldn't_ be attracted to her. The last thing they all needed was a messy love triangle. Though he had to admit to himself that there was something captivating about her, even though he wasn't sure what. He noticed Alphonse was expecting a reply, so he set aside his petty internal argument to settle the conversation. Besides, he was getting a headache again.

"You're young. Love is a more difficult concept to grasp than alchemy. It's more than equivalent exchange." He replied, referring to their long lost alchemic talent. He did miss being able to transmute nearly anything, but that was the price he paid to close the Gate. Surely his brother would understand that. "Women are trouble. Don't get too attached just yet." With that he left. Alphonse released an angry sigh and flopped on the ground. Still… he couldn't help smiling.

A shriek pierced the evening air. Edward hurried in the direction of the sound; Alphonse ran out of the barn a few seconds later. Christin was being attacked by a strange man. She dropped to the ground, blood gushing from her arm. The man raised a whip, aiming to strike again. He screamed something in Spanish and pointed at Christin before letting the whip fly a second time. Edward stopped it with his fake arm.

"What's going on?" he half grunted.

"Step away from her, Edward." Noa commanded emerging from the small crowd a few yards away. "That girl is an abomination and shouldn't be alive."

"What?!" Christin cried. "I'm perfectly normal, just like you! I'm human too!"

"No you're not! I saw what happened when you tried to slit your wrists. It's happening to your arm as we speak." Noa said. Everyone looked at Christin's bleeding arm. It wasn't blood, but blood red wires spilling from inside her body. "You're a machine. That device in your hand sets you apart from normal humans like us."

Christin chuckled. "So I'm different? I'm not normal? Well… I already knew that. What took you so long to figure it out? You've been reading my mind or whatever it is you do, so you should know that better than anyone! Or did you skip that detail?"

"You've been Jumping behind our backs, trying to figure out what went wrong and why you're like you are now. The only thing we've learned is that your entire existence back in your home world has been erased. I'm sure if you die here the same thing will happen. No one will remember you and we'll all go on with our lives. You're useless anyway, so there's really no point in your existence." Noa replied.

"What?" Christin's voice was shaky this time.

"Noa's completely lost it!" Edward griped. The Spaniard dropped his whip and took out a knife.

"I haven't lost anything, Edward. I can only gain from this." Noa said with eerie calmness.

"I don't get why you're being so hostile towards her! She has been nothing but nice to all of us, with a few minor exceptions." Edward raged.

"That abomination nearly killed me! If you're not careful you'll be in danger! She's the only thing standing between us, Edward. Just let me eliminate the problem and get on with our life!" Noa cried. "Kill her!" The men charged.

"Noa, stop this! Nothing good can come of this!" Alphonse cried, stepping in to defend Christin. A gun shot echoed in the air, making everyone stop what they were doing and look at Christin. She had grabbed the gun Edward kept tucked into the back of his pants and shot the Spaniard in the head, killing him. She turned to the next, her eyes flashing cold and dangerous.

"You think you're better than me. Everyone has something about them that sets them apart from others. You have your freaky mind reading. I'm a piece of technology from the future, just like you said. I'm sure Ed and Al have something like that too, but it's no reason to kill someone!" she said, pointing the gun at Noa. "Or maybe it is."

Another gun shot echoed in the air and the brawling continued. Noa snuck away from everyone when no one was watching. Truly all she wanted was to live with Edward. Then that freak had to show up and ruin everything. She saw how Edward watched her. He liked her better. He didn't even bother to look at her anymore. She tried to solve her problem, hiring a man he knew looked exactly like Christin's father, the one person she most hated, and most feared. But Christin killed him. She had nearly died in a fist fight with that girl. She now held a gun – Noa might not survive the next fight. Realizing the error of her ways – that she acted out of jealousy – Noa sat by the end of the road and sobbed, slowly being consumed by the growing darkness.

Alphonse shifted his weight carefully. He had damaged some ribs in the brawl. Edward broke his real arm and Christin… well, he could hear muffled sobbing nearby. The three had fled the area after felling each attacker – they did not want to be pursued by the police or anything so they managed to hitch a ride with a passing driver, who dropped them off in the next town where they caught a train to the northern coast. Now they camped out in an abandoned building, huddled together for warmth. The entire time Christin stared blankly ahead, muttering over and over "I finally killed him… I killed him…" He listened to his brother's snoring and fell into a light sleep.

Ed woke up and sighed angrily. The train ride was very bumpy and his arm kept getting banged into the wall. He was glad that only one arm was damaged. If both were impaired, they would be in trouble. He didn't want to brag or anything, but he was stronger than his brother and Christin put together and needed to stay in good shape in case of another attack. He felt Christin roll onto her side next to him, her arm brushing his stomach. He glanced to his right and saw the full moon reflected in her eyes.

"Can't sleep?" he asked. She shook her head slowly.

"I killed someone. Not just anyone – the man who looks like my father. I admit I've always wanted to kill him after learning that he really hated me, but actually doing it, even though the guy was just a doppelganger, is completely different. I feel… dirty." She said softly.

"You feel dirty." He repeated, trying very hard not to laugh. "You were fighting for your life – its okay." Christin moved her arm, leaving his stomach exposed to the cool night air. He almost said he wanted her to move her arm back, but remembered what he said about not being able to be attracted to her. He heard her start sobbing again, a dry and empty sound because she refused to actually let tears fall from her eyes. "Invisible crying" she called it.

He sat up and pulled her with him, wrapping his arm around her in what he hoped was comfort. After a few seconds, she clutched his shirt and buried her face in his chest. Several minutes passed before she pushed herself away and wiped furiously at her eyes. Ah, so she had been crying.

"This is depressing me. Let's change the subject." She said, though it kinda sounded like she was choking.

"Okay, what do you want to talk about?" he prompted, eager for a change of mood.

"Um… what did you study in school?" she asked. Edward laughed quietly, so as not to disturb his sleeping brother.

"The usual. Math, English, history." He replied.

"No, really. You use such a large vocabulary sometimes that it takes me half an hour to interpret one sentence. What did you study in high school and college, if you went." She corrected.

"I stopped going to school when I was young. I never made it to high school r anything, but I did read lots of books." He replied. "What about you? You seem to know lot of random things."

"Umm… Well, in high school, before I came here, I studied English, math," here she grimaced, making Edward laugh again, "history…" another grimace "biology and earth science… I took an auto shop class my freshman year, Spanish my sophomore and junior years, and psychology was also a junior class."

"Psychology? You don't look like the psychologist type." Edward stated bluntly.

"To be honest, I don't even remember signing up for that class. But I did enjoy it. We were learning about love when I… left." She said.

"Love? What did you learn?" he asked.

"Well… there's this thing that's a real love triangle, see, and there are three sides: commitment, passion, and intimacy. Commitment is like marriage and stuff, passion is the… physical stuff and intimacy is sharing your goals and dreams." She prattled.

"I think you have intimacy and passion mixed up." Edward said.

"No, that's what my teacher said." She replied. "Like what we're doing now, he'd probably consider intimacy and wh… what happened… with Al would… be… passion…" she stuttered. Edward though he saw her blush.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but what would you do if I kissed you right now?" he asked.

"Uh… I'd probably just sit here completely stunned. Why? You think you can do a better job than Al?" she mocked.

"I don't know. I'm older so I should be better." He said.

"Uh-huh, sure." Christin said. "Just because you're older doesn't necessarily mean you're better than him."

"You don't believe me." Edward teased.

"You gonna prove it?" she challenged, glaring defiantly at him. Before his conscience could get the better of him, Edward grabbed her face and kissed her. Christin didn't move after for a few seconds, but soon kissed him back. Using his good arm, he pulled her closer, enjoying the warmth radiating from her body. Her icy fingers tangled in his hair before gently pushing him away. She scanned his face, looking for something that even she didn't know. "See?" she asked breathily, "Stunned."

Edward grinned. "Right." He replied, stretching out so he was lying down. Christin leaned over him, her long hair tickling his face.

"Don't tell Al." she pleaded.

"I won't." he answered. Christin moved and he caught her arm.

"Let's just forget it ever happened." She said.

"Okay, before we forget, can I ask how it was?" he inquired.

"It was… very nice." She responded. Actually, she had thought it was more than just nice. It being the second time she had been kissed, she couldn't really compare the two, especially since they were brothers and she didn't want any trouble. But still… she felt something with Edward that she hadn't felt with Alphonse. There was something extra. Yes, he had been a little rough and now her neck was aching a bit, but she felt warm and fuzzy inside. That was the only way she could describe it, though she never said anything along those lines.

The chilly night air made her shiver and she settled down on the ground. When she though Edward was asleep, she snuggled close to him for warmth. She was nearly asleep herself when she felt him move and wrap his arm around her waist.


	6. America and Amestris

6: America and Amestris

Alphonse nearly jumped with joy. Land! He could see land! And an odd figure that looked like a woman waving at him with something in her hand.

"The Statue of Liberty!" Christin breathed. "I never actually thought I'd see it." Alphonse smiled at her childish enthusiasm. "And… Ohmygod there's land. Land!! Oh, Al, finally, solid rock!!!" she squealed, grabbing his collar and shaking him. He laughed and grabbed her hands.

"Calm down, we're nearly there." He chided.

"I don't care – land!! Finally I can get off this boat and onto solid ground!" she squealed as she ran down to their cabin, no doubt to scream the same news at Edward. About a month ago they had set sail from France to America. Both Christin and Alphonse had taken well to the ship at first, but they soon grew bored of being stuck at sea. A salty sea wind ruffled his hair as he leaned on the railing and watched the land mass inch slowly forward. They would be arriving in New York and honestly he was a little afraid. He was used to the rather reserved European people and after listening to several stories from Christin and other American passengers and people who have been to America before, he was nervous. Apparently Americans were loud and boisterous with almost no common sense and a brash way of dealing with others. Christin had told him about racism and immigration and how they might be hassled for being immigrants, but then she got off on a strange monologue about monopolists and something she called the Progressive Era.

"You look happy." Edward said as Christin burst into the room. He had befriended an Irishman named Robin McLean and the two had become drinking buddies.

"Of course I am! You can see New York from the deck! We're almost there!!" she cried, doing a silly little dance. "C'mon, you gotta see it!" she said, grabbing the two men's wrists and attempting to drag them up top. Robin humored her and followed.

"Easy now, you'll send me overboard if you don't slow down." He laughed heartily. Edward sighed, set down his glass of rum, and followed them. His eyes lingered on Christin's left hand. They had told anyone who asked about why she always wore at least that one glove that she had a deformity in her hand and was very sensitive about it, but he got the feeling that Robin knew a bit more than what they told him.

"Wanna hear a joke about an Irishman?" she asked.

"Sure." The men replied.

"Okay, well, there's this Irishman, see, and he walks out of a bar…" she started. Robin's laughter echoed in the thin fog. Edward blinked stupidly.

"I don't get it." He said.

"Eddie, how many times have you seen an Irishman walk out of a bar? We stumble at the most, if we're conscious enough." Robin chuckled, slapping his back. "We Irish are known for drinkin' till we're nearly dead. If one of us _walks_ out of a _bar_ something is seriously wrong."

"You're such a blond, Ed." Christin grinned. She turned and watched the horizon slowly creep into view. Edward soon saw the tops of tall buildings and could faintly hear the hubbub of the city. Alphonse sidled up to him.

"Don't make fun of me, but I'm kinda scared." He whispered. Edward turned and gave a wry grin.

"Me too." He replied. The harbor was a big mass of confusion. All sorts of people going every possible direction. The Elric's heads were starting to spin when Christin forced them to link hands as she wound her way through the mobs. Several times they stopped and asked for directions to what she called customs and eventually had to have the police escort them there like children. After an hour of being registered as residents, they stopped by the edge of Fifth Avenue.

"Now what?" Christin asked.

"Huh?" the boys replied.

"You wanted to go to America to track down that bomb. We're in America. Now what do you wanna do?" she explained. Edward looked around, hoping an answer would fall out of the sky and hit him or something.

"We'll find the bomb and get rid of it." He finally replied.

"Edward, I'm from the future, as cliché as that sounds. I've seen what that uranium bomb does. You can't stop it. Names and stuff are a bit different than from my world, but for the most part everything is exactly the same. This era in America, the one we're living in right now, is called the Roaring Twenties. Would you like to know what era I'm from?" she asked somberly.

"What?" he asked.

"The nuclear age. In my time, we have weapons far surpassing that bomb you're o obsessed with. They're going to test the A-bomb, yes. Then they'll develop something more powerful, called the H-bomb, in a few decades or so. The weapons from 2009, we can't even test out in space because they're so dangerous. And America isn't the only country to have nuclear weapons either. Lots of other countries have them and are trying to make stronger ones in case someone nukes them. The entire planet will become a ticking time bomb. War is inevitable in my time. Americans don't seem too worried with it because a war hasn't been fought on American soil since the Civil War or so. In my time, we're sorta like the sanctuary of the world. No wars break out in the streets, no bombs are dropped on our heads, but the threat still exists. You cannot stop that bomb." She said.

"Brother, I think she's right. It's been a year and we have nothing to show for our efforts." Alphonse agreed.

"So you want to give up." Edward stated.

"Ed, please believe me. I would love to tell you that you can stop it, that there's something that can be done, but there isn't'. There's nothing you can do." She urged. He irrelevantly noticed the way her voice sounded when she said the words "I", "love", and "you". She never said anything like that in the year he had known her. She wasn't the sentimental type of girl he had first thought she was. She was much stronger than that and almost never showed her true emotions. He had learned that the night in the abandoned building was not something she did often. She hardly ever touched anyone unless it was to quite literally beat some sense into them and he noticed how quiet she could be. He couldn't count the number of times he had turned around and she had been patiently standing behind him for who knows how long, just so she could startle him. He shook his head and emerged from his jumbled and slightly pointless thoughts.

"What do you suggest?" he asked dully.

"I want to try Jumping with other people." She whispered. "I did it once with Alphonse, though I had no idea here we landed, and I did it with you that one time too when we landed at my school. I also noticed that every time I Jump, I leave behind a small white blob of something. Every time I touch it, I go back, so I'm not really sure what it is." She added absently.

"Do you know how to Jump? Every time I've seen it, it was completely random. You know how to trigger it on your own?" Alphonse asked.

"Well, sorta. I need a clear image and a strong desire to get there, but it's possible. It's kinda hard though, cuz it takes all my energy just to Jump that I usually think of the place at the last minute. That's why I want to try with other people. I figured, hey, I didn't think of any place when I Jumped with Al, so maybe he thought of the place and we wound up there. Maybe it'll work again." She shrugged.

"You're going on a theory?" Edward grumbled.

"Hey, if you don't try something, you won't know if it works or not. It's simple science. Elementary, my dear Edward." She grinned, putting on a British accent for the last statement. She grabbed their hands again and began dragging them through the streets of New York. "We need somewhere people won't notice a group of glowing people…" she muttered. "Ah! This'll work!" she wandered into an empty factory that was no longer in use.

"Are you sure about this?" Al asked nervously.

"Nope." She chirped. "Okay, Al, you're going to stay here. Ed, you're coming with me." She instructed. Alphonse stayed put while Christin dragged Edward a safe distance away.

"Christin?" he asked uncertainly.

"Just think of someplace you'd rather be. Any where but here." She ordered. Edward let her grab both his hands with hers. She closed her eyes and concentrated, so he mimicked her action. He felt something – a spark of some sort – jump from her to him, much like that other time he Jumped with her. He pictured his hometown, a place he hadn't seen in years because he couldn't open the Gate. He felt his body shift, like it was dissolving into a liquid, and saw the white light surround himself and Christin. He saw her falter a bit and the light turned deep red. He looked around. Yellow grass swayed gently in a breeze that played with his hair. Far off in the distance, he could see the lights of a town. A scream he knew all too well brought his attention back to the light. Alphonse was being restrained by Robin, who was yelling at him to stay away from the light. Christin had her arm reaching through the… the only word he could use to describe the gap between worlds was a rip. The rip was closing fast. Before he could think logically, he ran through the rip, tackled Robin, muttered an apology and hauled his brother through the rip before it closed. Christin collapsed on the ground beside them.

"Well, that was more fun than I ever wanted to have." Alphonse laughed dryly. Edward smiled and sat up.

"Any idea where we are?" he asked, looking around at the dark scenery. Alphonse shook his head. "There's a town at the bottom of the mountain. We could ask someone for directions there."

"Brother… she won't wake up." Alphonse said, worry thick in his voice. Indeed, Christin lay in a crumpled heap on the dirt, breathing shallowly. The two took turns carrying her downhill, stopping several times because she weighed more than she looked. They were almost in town when she woke up.

"What happened?" she moaned. "My head's killing me…" Alphonse let her slide down his back until she was standing on her own. She stumbled a bit but managed to stay upright.

"We're going to ask for directions in town. Something happened when you Jumped and we think we got lost." He replied softly. After a moment Christin replied.

"I can't Jump anymore." She said bluntly.

"What?" Edward asked harshly, spinning around. "How do you know?"

"I just do. I just know that I can't Jump anymore. Wherever we are, we're stuck here. I used up too much power and now it's gone. Jumping several people was too much. I'm sorry." She said as she looked up at the sky. "That's odd. The sky looks completely different here. I wonder where..." a feminine scream pierced the stillness. Instinctively the three ran towards it. A building had caught on fire and a crowd was gathering. Several people were trying to hold back a man with blond hair that fell over one eye.

"Let me go! Fletcher's still inside!" he cried. Edward's breath hitched in his throat. He recognized that voice and, upon closer inspection of the person, it's owner. The man just so happened to glance in their direction. His blue eyes widened briefly before returning his attention to the now growing fire.

Christin had an idea. She wasn't exactly sure why or how she knew, but she knew she could help. While everyone was occupied, she ducked inside the burning building. She wound her way through collapsed beams and burning furniture. Eventually she heard someone crying for help. A boy who looked no older than perhaps fourteen, but might be younger, was trapped under a fallen beam that was quickly being consumed by the flames.

"I'm going to get you out, okay? Hold still until I say to move." She ordered kindly. Using all her strength, she managed to lift the beam. "Now, crawl out, quickly!" The boy slithered out and she let the beam fall.

"The door!!" he cried, pointing to the blocked entrance. He tried to say something else but dissolved into a coughing fit. Christin sat on the ground and pulled the boy onto her lap, smoothing his hair out of his face.

"It'll be okay. Just trust me." She soothed as best as she could, though she herself was starting to cough. Quickly, she shuffled through the songs on her iPod. It was time for her to really start helping. She just knew she had the power to do it. 100 Oceans by Tokio Hotel started playing, and she started singing.

Outside, Edward and Alphonse scanned the crowd. "No, I saw a girl run inside at the last minute! She must've gone to get Fletcher!" a woman cried over the din of the crowd. The brothers shared a nervous glance. "Russell, dangit, knock it off! There's nothing you can do now, the flames are too high! Maybe that girl can get him out." She said calmly to Russell, who had stopped struggling but was still yelling for Fletcher.

"Oh no…" Alphonse sighed.

"That idiot!" Edward growled. He was almost ready to go find Christin himself when he heard music. It was distant and he couldn't make out the words, but he knew the female voice very well. He calmed down and sighed. Trust Christin to do something impulsive and dangerous at the very last minute. But… knowing her and what she claimed about her luck with dying, he knew she would be okay. She was too stubborn to die in a fire anyway. Actually, she told him how she wanted to die, but he didn't want to think about that now.

Alphonse shivered despite the warm air wafting from the fire. A small stream of mist tickled his face. He looked to the blazing structure and faintly saw wispy white light swirling around a small portion of the building. At least he knew where Christin was, and that she was still alive, to some extent.

Fletcher had calmed down immensely. He rested his head against Christin's chest and forgot about the strange water that was slowly filling up the room. It was up to his chest now, and the air smelled of salt. That made sense, since the strange girl was singing about an ocean. He watched the white wisps of light swirl around them as the water level continued to rise. Soon enough, they were both submerged in the slat water, but he was still able to breathe. He was growing very tired and didn't care about anything but staying alive.

Christin felt her energy slowly drain from her body. Using this strange power she knew she acquired when the Jump went awry was draining her immensely, but she kept singing. The salt water soon began to crystallize save for a small bubble surrounding the two people. Christin somehow picked up Fletcher, whose name she simply knew the moment she touched him, and balanced him on her hip. He was small for his age, but weighed quite a bit. They ventured to the front door of the building and Fletcher ran for his brother. Christin uttered the last line of the song and succumbed to darkness. The last thing she saw was snow falling and Alphonse's relieved face.

"Thanks for saving Fletcher, Ed." Russell said later that night. Fletcher held out his arm while Alphonse began wrapping a thick white bandage around the burn marks. A girl with rather bushy brown hair was tending to Christin in the next room.

"It wasn't me." He sniffed. He knew all too well where Christin's faulty Jump had landed them. But he blamed himself. If only he hadn't thought of Xenotime at the last second… The girl came in, an odd look on her face.

"Um… the girl, she… there's this thing on her hand… it's really weird… it keeps saying 'connect to power'… uh… I'm clueless." She stuttered.

"It's fine. I'll take care of it later." Alphonse said quickly. The girl nodded and walked away. As luck would have it, the three had arrived in the middle of winter and the small mining town was kept under a steady downpour for a week. Alphonse grew more and more frantic as the days passed. Christin, it seemed, had just stopped, like a clock whose battery had died. Having frozen in time, she merely slept with Alphonse never leaving her side.

"It's been a week and she still hasn't woken up. Are you sure she's all right?" Kelsie, whom Edward learned was Russell's girlfriend, asked, glancing at the door that shut off Christin and Alphonse from the rest of the world.

"Yeah, she's fine, whatever happened to her." He grumbled, ticked off from having o stay with Russell while they waited for a break in the dull winter weather.

"How will she wake up, if she hasn't done so already?" Fletcher questioned.

"I dunno; stick her out in the sun or something. That's what we did last time. It's not like she's broken or anything." Edward replied. He remembered the time that the battery in her hand had died and she completely shut down until they figured out what to do. But that had happened during the peak of summer so the solution was readily available then.

"You speak of her as if she's an object, not a person." Russell commented. Edward glared at him. That was partially true, but the remark still pissed him off. Even after his absence, it was clear that the bad blood between the two men would not be washed away so easily. Another thing was adding to his anger problem – his arm was beginning to malfunction and he would have to go back to Resembool soon lest his arm fall off or something. He dreaded knowing that his hometown would be their next destination. Winry would probably kill him and worse for oh so many reasons: basically abandoning her and ruining his automail/prosthetics and… maybe for bringing a strange girl back with him when he finally returned. He wouldn't put it past her to ignore something like that. God, if Winry and Christin got in a fight… maybe he should start digging graves ahead of time.

Meanwhile, Alphonse had gotten so fed up with watching Christin 'sleep' that he ripped out the cord of the electric lamp nearby and transmuted it into something that he hoped would suffice in he manner of the charger Christin had explained to him once. He plugged it into the wall and pressed the other end into her hand. A few seconds later her eyes opened. Music blared and she fumbled around to shut it off.

"Morning." She grinned sheepishly. Alphonse made an odd sound and hugged her hard. She was okay. He was so happy he could cry.

* * *

_A/N: okay, i know that was a lot. one of the longest chapter's i've written so far, i think. thanks to everyone who's read it, and a big thank you to anyone who has reviewed so far. you know who you are._


	7. Little Secrets

7: Little Secrets

"Hey, it's a Nazi." Christin said when she spied Russell.

"What's a Nazi?" he murmured to Edward. Fletcher ran up to Christin and threw his arms around her waist.

"Thanks for saving me." He said.

"You're welcome." She giggled. She looked up and met Edward's harsh stare. A feeling of dread washed over her. She was in for it now. Because she did something stupid and reckless (not that it was the first time) 'without his permission', Edward was gonna chew her out. He acted more like a caretaker or parent than a friend.

"You, outside. Now." He ordered. She sighed and walked over to him.

"Yes, Daddy." She chirped before sauntering outside. She heard growling and incoherent chatter, followed by Edward screaming "She's insane!!" A moment later, a very angry Edward stormed outside. He grabbed her wrist and began dragging her nowhere in particular.

"You're gonna yell at me aren't you?" she asked dully.

"No." he replied through gritted teeth. "I'm not going to yell at you, but I am going to talk to you about what you did." He stopped and turned around. He opened his mouth to speak and stopped, a grin spreading across his face.

"What?" Christin asked.

"I'm taller than you." He replied smugly.

"Can you just hurry up and chastise me or whatever? It's colder than a snowman's ass out here." She said huffily, folding her arms around her chest for warmth. It was overcast, but the moon tried shining through the clouds and cast a soft blue glow on everything.

"Alright, first things first, I'm not mad. Not at you. However, I am upset that you went ahead and did something so reckless. You do know that you could've died, right?" he started.

Christin didn't reply, so he continued.

"Think about Al! Do you have any idea how stuck on you he is? All I hear about these days is you, and I'm getting kind of sick of it! If you die, he'll be devastated and I'll be the one who has to deal with it!" his voice raised an octave.

Christin winced at the harshness in his voice and met his glare with a defiant, almost fearless, one, a trademark look she assumed when she was being scolded or someone was ordering her around, much like Noa had taken to doing. Ask, and she usually did something without complaint. Command, and all you got was an icy glare that, Edward had to admit scared him a bit, came with oodles of profanity and angry mumbling and the occasional broken object or two.

"And me," he added softly, "I don't like yelling at you, but you drive me crazy sometimes and it really gets on my nerves. You never think things through and always change your mind at the last minute without telling anyone. Do you know how much that scares me?"

"Stop treating me like I'm a child!" she snapped. "My life is mine and mine alone. You have no right to tell me what I should and should not do! You're not my dad or anything, so stop acting like it!" Edward raised his hand to strike her and she braced her self for it, but instead he dropped his hand and looked at the ground.

"What am I to you?" he asked. Christin looked up at him.

"Huh?" she replied stupidly.

"What am I to you?" he repeated. "Al is practically your boyfriend. You and Noa were mortal enemies it seemed like. Even Robin got along with you. Where does that leave me?" he asked, fixing his golden eyes on her hazel ones.

Christin gazed at him, trying to figure out if he was toying with her or if he was serious. After a brief pause she finally answered, "I'm not sure, Ed. I mean… ugh… I like Al, a lot, and I like being with him, but I feel differently about you than I do him."

"Really?" Edward's voice bordered on sarcastic.

"Umm… it's like… gee, how should I put this? Uh… Y'know, I'm really not sure." She chuckled dryly. She tilted her head towards the sky; watching patches of stars weave through the clouds. "Al is really sweet and gentle and kind and lots of girls would find that attractive. You are everything he's not, pretty much, but that can be very attractive too."

"So…" he paused, trying to avoid a headache from the girl's dizzying thought patterns, "which of the two do you like better?" he felt his cheeks grow hot.

"Well, both I guess. Each one has it good and bad points. There's no 'perfect guy' out there, because each one is different from the others. So, I guess the only way to answer that is to say I like both of you. I'm just not sure who I like more." She smiled half-heartedly and promptly sneezed. Edward shrugged out of his jacket and held it out to her. She donned it and looked down at herself.

"What?" Edward asked.

"It's a little big, that's all." She said, shaking her head and wrapping the fabric around her body tightly.

"Whatever. C'mon." he shrugged, walking back towards the house.

"You go. I'll be there in a few minutes." She said, not turning around. Edward watched her sit on the ground and went back inside. Everyone had gone to bed for it was nearly eleven. Russell dozed lightly in a nearby chair. Edward rolled his eyes and went to find Alphonse.

When she was sure Edward had gone inside, for they had walked too far to hear the noise inside the house, she rolled on her side and curled into a little ball. She buried her face in his jacket and, deeply inhaling the scent of his skin, started crying. What she had said was true – she did find that she was attracted to both Edward _and_ Alphonse and it was driving her mad. She was very confused and her heart ached horribly. Yes, Alphonse was a perfect gentleman and she liked being treated kindly because she had had almost no one care for her when she was little, but she liked Edward too. He gave her space and never really bothered with fussing over her as Alphonse sometimes did. She found that she and Edward were the same in some respects. They both rely on few people and avoid getting too close to others who might get hurt by being near them. And, even though it had only happened once, she had liked that extra spark she felt when she kissed Edward. She even liked the way he had been rather rough by grabbing her face. All she wanted to do was stay there on the ground, curled into the fetal position, and die. Maybe if she stayed out here long enough it would snow and she would become like the iceman she read about in a book once. But instead she got up, wiped her face furiously, and tromped back inside.

A few days passed and it began raining again. Soon the roads were flooded and travel anywhere was nearly impossible unless you had a boat. The ground had turned to the kind of mud that tries to suck up your shoes with a nasty 'squelch'-ing sound and makes you have to practically pull your leg out of it with your arms because it's so thick, so everyone stayed inside. Tensions were growing and the smallest things seemed to set Edward off. He once snapped at Christin for simply sitting next to him and again at Alphonse for gazing listlessly out the window at the pouring rain. Christin, on the other hand, spent more and more time in her room until no one saw her unless they went in there themselves. Alphonse often went to make sure she didn't die or anything, and before he went inside he always heard talking, then pausing, then taking again as if she were having a conversation. He questioned her mental state, and she would always reply "My mind snapped long ago. Besides, it's amazing what kind of conversations one can have with oneself. You should try it." And send him off with a smile. He noticed a steadily growing stack of paper on the desk by the window.

When the rainy season ended, everyone rushed outside to absorb the long missed sun, even Christin, who claimed to hate it intensely. Alphonse took the opportunity to sneak into her room and find out what all those papers were. Page after page of drawings, sketches, and doodles slipped through his fingers. Some were funny, others dark and depressing. He saw that he was featured in quite a few, and that the ones he appeared in were the happy pictures. Edward and Russell were in the funny ones mostly, but the rest were of random people. He also found a few sketches of Fletcher and Kelsie. Suddenly it clicked. She didn't express herself in words because she was afraid to speak her mind, according to her, and right now he saw every single emotion she felt in the past several days when they were cooped up inside. She didn't need words, because words can't paint pictures the way an actual pen or brush can, though she mostly used pencil. He also realized that, even after a year, he still knew very little about the girl he was steadily falling in love with.

"This feels so good!" Kelsie said, stretching her arms out like she was trying to grab the sun. Christin giggled.

"I never thought I'd miss having the sun in my eyes so much!" she replied, holding a hand up like a shade. "Kelsie? Al told me about… how you reacted when you saw my hand."

"Your hand?" she asked dumbly. Christin lifted her left hand and removed the glove, exposing the small screen and control panel. "Oh yeah. That." She said.

"Would you like to see what it is?" Christin asked. Kelsie nodded cautiously. She pressed 'play' and the screen lit up.

Edward watched the two girls carefully. He knew Christin was toying with her machine – he felt this weird humming sensation, like someone had left their car running while they went inside their house to get something they forgot, and he could hear a high pitched frequency in his right ear. Odd thing was, that had only started happening when they arrived in Xenotime. But, he supposed, it was kinda like his ability to use alchemy in this world, when it didn't work in the other one. He deeply considered researching Christin's odd new power, but decided against it – the girl gave him enough headaches just by talking to him sometimes. Pursuing anything about her would no doubt make his brain dissolve into goo then explode. He heard footsteps and glanced upward. Russell leaned over him, staring at him intently.

"What?" Edward demanded.

"Nothing." Russell replied curtly, sitting next to him. A loud blast of music made them both jump.

"Sorry!!" Christin called, turning down the volume.

"So what's your relationship with her?" Russell asked. Edward nearly choked.

"What do you mean?" He asked, trying to ignore the frequency he was picking up. Russell merely stared at him, expecting an answer. "Well, I guess we're friends. She's kinda dating Al, so…" he trailed off, unsure of how to finish. He sat up and instantly the memory of the kiss they shared flashed through his mind. He felt his face heating up and plopped his head on his knees.

"Your mind may say one thing, but your face is clearly saying another." Russell said snidely. "Are you gonna tell me what happened, or do I have to force it out of you?" he nudged Edward with his elbow.

"Why the hell do you care?!" Edward snarled.

"I just like ticking you off, that's all." Russell grinned. "Aw, c'mon. We're two grown men. We can talk amongst ourselves about our women."

"Okay, **one**, she is _not_ 'my woman'. **Two**, again, why the hell do you care? And **three**, I don't want to hear about your love life. I know you have a girlfriend, and quite frankly I don't give a shit. You can do whatever the hell you want with her; just leave me out of it." Edward grumbled.

"So how far have you gone with her?" Russell asked as though the last statement hadn't been made. Edward threw up his hands partially in disgust.

"…we kissed. Once." He finally said after a few minutes of silence. "That's it. Nothing else happened outside of the 'friends' label."

"Wow, you didn't get far at all." Russell said almost boredly. He waited a few seconds then turned to Edward. "Aren't you going to ask me how far I've gone?"

"No!!" Edward protested, appalled. "I told you I don't care!" Russell leaned over and whispered something in his ear.

"Edward…"Kelsie said as she approached the two.

"I don't want to hear about your sex life!!!!!" Edward screamed, clutching his head like his brain was exploding multiple times. Russell chuckled.

"What?" he asked Kelsie, who eyed him suspiciously.

"Don't go spoiling other peoples' minds with your dirty talk, Russell. There's a time and place for everything, and it certainly is not here and now." She chided him gently. Edward had curled up into a ball and was trying very hard to erase the nasty comment running through his head. His efforts were futile.

"Oh, should we go inside then?" the blue eyed man grinned. Kelsie swatted him. "Ed, Christin wanted to know if you'd be okay with her testing out her 'magicy magical magic' as she put it." she finished, making air quotation marks with her fingers. Edward straightened up and shook his blond bangs out of his eyes. He was going to need a haircut soon; his hair was getting a bit too long.

"She doesn't need to ask me. I'm not her parent or anything. It's her 'magic'; she can do what she wants with it." he replied, mimicking Kelsie's finger quotation marks. "I don't care what she does, so long as she doesn't kill herself."

"He said he doesn't care as long as you don't die!" Kelsie called to the approaching Christin. Alphonse and Fletcher joined the group outside. Fletcher sat next to Russell and asked what was going on. While Russell explained to the best of his ability, Alphonse handed some papers to Edward.

"What's this?" he asked, flipping through the pages quickly. He soon slowed down and really looked at them.

"Christin drew them." Alphonse replied sweetly. Edward's eyes widened.

"No." he denied. "Her? Our Christin drew these?" he asked, utterly dumbfounded. Alphonse smiled at his brother's reaction. "No way. These are amazing! I didn't know she could do stuff like this!" he gushed.

"Neither did I. Just goes to show how bad friends we are to her. It's been over a year since we first met, and we still know hardly anything about her." Alphonse said distantly.

"I guess you're right." Edward agreed, looking at the quirky girl. She and Kelsie were arguing over something he didn't bother to find out. Odds are he'd find out eventually, whether he wanted to or not. "Well, we do know what kind of music she likes." He pointed out.

"I know that she tried killing herself multiple times." Alphonse added.

"Yup. There's the fact that she hates her father and was considered worthless by her family." Edward nodded. The Elric brothers began listing all the things they knew about Christin, which didn't amount to much. Suicide attempts, bad familial relations, interesting music taste, ability to go for days without eating or sleeping properly, and now talent for drawing. Alphonse mentioned that she was a good kisser, and Edward almost agreed with him.

* * *

_okay, chapter seven. woot! i PROMISE i'll update my other stories soon, especially CMAIF. that one needs to be updated. but it's hard cuz i have no idea where i'm going with that story, as opposed to haing several ideas swirling around my head for FA and FMA Yearbook being uber easy to write because it's crack. actually, i was thinking of starting another, but hmm... maybe i should finish one of these first._


	8. Captive

8: Captive

"Shut up and sit down!" Christin snapped. Everyone obeyed. "Okay, I'm going to sing. Don't laugh at me—I haven't performed for anyone in years." She said, blushing light pink. She started walking a fair distance away, but turned around. "And don't freak out either. The last thing I need is people fainting because of my sheer awesomeness." She grinned and continued to her designated spot. She turned to face her 'audience' and took several deep breaths. Screwing up her guts, she went to the pre-selected song (Passion, by Utada Hikaru) and pressed play. She turned up the volume and began singing.

Edward was shocked. For one thing, he never knew her voice could sound so…pretty… and he saw weird white light emanating from her body. He could feel it too, as far away as he was. Something pleasantly warm wrapped around him, it felt like, though a cool breeze was blowing steadily. Entranced, he could only watch as objects that looked very much like stars and other cosmic matter seemed to materialize around her, the wisps of light flowing around her. He couldn't understand the lyrics, but liked the song anyway.

Alphonse smiled. Seeing the incredible display of something he could only describe as 'magic' made him feel blissfully happy. He almost wanted to fall asleep, lulled by the foreign words, but the sight was one he couldn't bear to look away from for even a moment. In the blink of an eye, the cosmic matter swirling around her extended towards the group, enveloping them as well. He was floating in space, it looked like, despite the fact that there was no air outside the earth's atmosphere and if it were real they would all be dead. Christin looked completely at home among the celestial backdrop.

Fletcher was very excited. This was the second time he was witness to her magic and it was absolutely stunning. The first time they had been in the ocean, which was miles from the inland country, but didn't drown. Now they were in space, something that no one had been able to accomplish, not even the smartest scientists of the day knew how to send things into space yet, but here they all were.

Russell was stupefied. He had thought the girl to be annoying and rather snobby. He never imagined she could do something like this. She looked as normal as Kelsie. Then again, looks could be deceiving. He could see why the Elric brothers were attracted to her—she was completely captivating. Yes, he did notice the ever-so-slight fact that Edward was attracted to her, though he refused to admit it himself. Alphonse clearly liked her. But… what were her sentiments towards them? She obviously liked Alphonse – they had made that quite clear – but there was something about the way she looked at Edward, something reflecting in her eyes. Was it just interest? Or forbidden desire? All this thinking was starting to make his head ache (now he understood how Edward felt) so he let his half-formed and slightly erratic thoughts slip away into nothingness and watched the spectacle he was now part of.

Kelsie stared intently at her. Yes, her power was amazing, but there was just something about her that seemed so… familiar, like she had known her somewhere before, but couldn't recall exactly where.

A few yards down the hill, a man in a blue uniform slowed his walking. He heard something that sounded like music and a girl singing, though it sounded like nothing he had ever heard before. He quickened his pace until he crested the hill and ducked behind a tree. There was a dome of light covering a fairly large area and he could just barely make out the figure of a girl floating in the air inside the dome. He slowly inched closer to the dome, until he could reach out and touch it. Carefully, he let himself pass through the light. He stood to the right and slightly behind the girl he saw from further away. Both the music and the strange space-like scenery seemed to be coming from her. A huge grin spread across his face. He exited the dome and sprinted down the hill.

"Oh man, I'm going to get promoted for sure after reporting this!" he said to himself as he reached the convoy that was passing through the mizerable little mining town. He ran into the hotel where the officers were staying while heir train refueled and barged into the office his superior was occupying. "Colonel Robin Mclean, sir!" he said, saluting.

"What is it?" another man in uniform asked.

"This might sound a little odd, but I just saw a girl making music and space stuff without alchemy!" he breathed, trying to maintain his composure. "She didn't look like she came from anywhere in the country. I thought it might be worth investigating."

"Very well, Colonel. I'll send some men up later tonight to confirm your claim. If what you say is true – power that isn't alchemy but something else, possibly worth studying – you may capture the girl and bring her back to Central for… interrogation." The man said.

"Yes sir. Thank you, sir." Robin said, saluting again before leaving.

"Colonel." Robin turned around.

"Sir?" he asked.

"How was your trip to the 'other side'?" he asked, rifling through some papers.

"It was very interesting sir. Would you like me to file a report?" he asked.

"No, that's alright. I was just wondering, is all. You may go." He waved him off.

"Thank you, Brigadier General Hakuro." Robin said before leaving.

"Don't just stand there, give me feedback!" Christin whined. Her mini performance was over and her audience gaped, mouths hanging open like idiots. "I can not grow as an artist if I don't know what the public thinks of me." Alphonse was the first to move, sweeping her up in a huge hug.

"That was freaking epic!" he cried, spinning her around until they were both dizzy. "I forget the other weird term you use to describe things, but whatever it is, that was it!"

"Bean sauce?" she asked, giggling a little madly. It was a term she and her old friends back in her world had used to describe anything they thought was cool. It was odd, but then again so were they.

"Yeah. Bean sauce." He confirmed. Edward rolled his eyes as he joined them.

"Don't start talking like her. One's bad enough to understand." He grumbled through his smile.

"Should I make you a special dictionary to carry around so you can translate my speech?" she grinned.

"It'd help." Edward laughed, patting her head.

"How long did that last?" Russell asked, approaching the three with Kelsie and Fletcher close behind.

"A few minutes. Why? Did it bore you? Are you bored now? Am I boring?" Christin grilled him.

"Actually, it was very interesting. I have no idea what you did, but I liked it." He said.

"Same here." Kelsie and Fletcher replied. Christin smiled, the warmest one she had in weeks. Alphonse kissed the side of her head, making her smile more. She almost wanted to cry—she was never treated like this back in her world, even by her friends, which were closer to her than her family. But that was because she pushed everyone away because she was scared that once she got too attached, they would leave. But…maybe things would be different here. Maybe… she would be okay here.

The gang spent the rest of the day in town shopping. The long periods of rain that had condemned them to the house had also depleted their food supply. Christin eagerly traipsed around, led by Alphonse so she wouldn't get lost. Knowing her, she would wander away and get completely lost so he kept a firm hold on her hand. Edward felt a twinge of jealousy, but quickly diminished it. He remembered his oath to not be attracted to her. It seemed, to him, that he was constantly reminding himself of that. Why did he need a refresher so often? He pushed the thoughts out of his mind. He glanced at Fletcher, who was gawking at Russell and Kelsie in a similar manner. The young boy looked to Edward and they shared a pained, I-feel-so-left-out look.

Later that night, Christin sat outside, idly watching the stars. She and her old friends had given themselves specific elements. Katie had been water, whereas she could never stick to one for very long. Eventually, she dubbed space (or cosmic, as she sometimes called it) her element because it had a bit of everything. She had pilfered a pair of clunky headphones from the closet in her room (her old ones finally died) and usually wore them around her neck. She pulled them off her ears and turned off her iPod. That was hen she heard the door open slowly.

"Hey Fletcher. What's up?" she greeted the young boy. He stood in the doorway and rubbed his eyes. His short blond hair stood up more so than usual on one side.

"I can't sleep." He mumbled. "Can I sit out here with you?" he asked sweetly.

"Sure." Christin smiled. "Aren't you cold?" she asked, eyeing his thin pajamas.

"I'm fine." He said, sitting down next to her. She wrapped an arm around him and pulled him inside the warmth of the jacket she wore. She had stolen it from Russell's closet, so it was really big on her. But that was the way she preferred her jackets – so big that the sleeves completely hid her hands and the bottom hung below her butt. "Will you sing me a song?" he asked.

"Any requests?" she replied. Fletcher shook his head. Clearly he didn't care.

"Whatever works for you." He said. Christin thought for a few seconds before an idea came to her.

"I got it. You won't understand the words or what they mean, but it's okay because I can speak the language well enough but don't understand the words either." She laughed. "I think it's called "A La Nanita Nana" or something." She added before getting into the Spanish lullaby she heard once before in a movie whose name she had long forgotten. She did not have the song on her iPod, so had to sing entirely from memory. No white light came because she figured out that it was the iPod that made the power, and that she could control how other people heard it. When she wore headphones, the sound didn't reach beyond her own eardrums. One ear covered could go either way, depending on how she felt. Both ears uncovered made the music sound to everyone within range. It made absolutely no sense to her, but she went with it anyways, not bothering to risk the headache she knew she would get if she tried to make sense of it.

She had just finished the song when she heard rustling in the bushes nearby – and it wasn't a good kind of rustling either. "That's her." A male voice said. Several armed men emerged from the darkness, weapons trained on Christin, who merely stared back completely stunned. "Leave the brat, I just want the girl." The voice said again.

"Fletcher, get inside, now!" she ordered, pushing the sleepy boy towards the door. Two gun shots snapped him out of his almost-stupor and he bolted inside, waking up Russell, Edward, and Alphonse.

"What are you doing?!" Christin cried. One bullet grazed her arm while the other just missed her head.

"Following orders." Several of the men chorused. Two dashed towards her and she nimbly dodged them, much to her surprise. Back in her world, she had never been agile or quick, especially in any physical activity. Then again, she had never had special powers that came from her iPod either. Someone threw a lasso and it tightened around her midsection, pinning her arms to her sides. She screamed, partially in outrage and partially, hopefully, to get the alchemists' butts out here. Even with her new abilities, she couldn't fight off twelve men by herself.

Alphonse was the first one outside. He topped dead in his tracks when he saw the sight before him. Twelve men from the military, based on their familiar blue uniforms, were ganging up on Christin, treating her like a wild animal. They had a few ropes trying her arms to her sides. One man had her leg caught in a whip and another man was swinging around something used to tie cattle's feet together while staying a safe distance away. Christin had turned to the nearest man in hopes of retaliation, kicking and biting and scratching to the best of her ability. The other man, the one with the cattle tool, threw the device. It wrapped around her wrists, binding them. Edward, Russell and Fletcher came soon after. Without a second thought, Edward ran into the fray and KO'd two guys. Even more officers emerged from the darkness surrounding the house and blocked the guys' way.

"No, let me go!!" Christin screamed, struggling against her bonds. One either very brave or very stupid man got close enough to gag her.

"Make sure they don't follow us. Keep a close eye on the girl—she's a feisty one." A man with semi-long orange hair licked his lips.

"Wait, where are you taking her?" Alphonse cried, on the verge of tears. The officer turned around.

"Hey, Alphonse. Remember me?" he asked, putting on his Scottish accent. "We're taking your little friend here in for some… questioning. Can't exactly let a freak like her wander about Amestris, especially when we're just recovering from that war you and your brother brought here. I don't know about you, but I've had enough wars for one lifetime. Ishbal… that recent one… wouldn't you say two's a good number to stop at? See you." Robin McLean sang as he sauntered off after his men. Christin fought desperately against the chain attached to her handcuffs. Robin slapped her and she fell to the ground.

"Stop it! Let her go!!" Edward cried, infected by his brother's protective drive. He admitted that part of him wanted her back as badly as Alphonse did, if not more so.

"Now, either you walk, or we'll drag you to the train." Robin snarled. Christin glared defiantly at him before standing up and trudging along behind the officers like a slave just bought from a black market. She cast one last look over her shoulders before vanishing in the direction the military had come from. Alphonse sunk to his knees and began crying, screaming incoherent phrases and punching the ground. A light rain began falling. The Tringham brothers went inside and left the Elric brothers alone. Edward anted to console his brother, but wasn't quite sure how. It was painfully obvious how much Alphonse cared for Christin, and he felt guilty for sharing a similar sentiment. He patted Alphonse's head and turned to go inside. Kelsie met him at the door.

"Are you going to go save her?" she asked, following the hot-headed blond.

"What?" he asked almost numbly. Kelsie grabbed his sleeve and spun him around.

"You read about it all the time in stories. The princess gets captured and the prince goes and rescues her." Kelsie stated matter-of-factly.

"This isn't some fairy tale." Edward grumbled. Kelsie rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. It's still the same idea. You should go et her back, for your brothers' sake if not yours." She drolled.

"Excuse me?" Edward asked, slightly confused. Kelsie sighed and stepped closer.

"Don't play stupid with me, Ed. I know you like her, even if you won't admit it." She said lowly so no one overheard.

"Alright, fine!" he snapped, brushing her off. "Al and I will go get her back! Happy now?"

"Sure. When do we leave?" Kelsie chirped. Edward blinked stupidly.

"What?" he asked dryly.

"I want to know when we're leaving." She repeated.

"What makes you think I'd let you come?!" Edward cried as he flapped his arms uselessly as if it would help get his point across.

"Gosh, she's my friend. I'm not just gonna sit around and let a bunch of blue suited goons treat my friend like some circus animal. Besides, if you won't let me come with you, I'll go on my own." She folded her arms and nodded. Edward gave an exasperated sigh, tromped outside to fetch his brother, tromped back inside and stared at Kelsie.

"We leave as soon as possible." He growled firmly. Alphonse instantly perked up and hugged his brother.

"Yay!" he cried, thoroughly pleased they were going to save Christin. On a small aside, he noted how… addicting she was. It was almost like she was a special kind of drug that was just for him. He tugged on his brother's arm, eager to get to the train station. "C'mon, let's go let's go let's go!!" he urged, failing in his attempt to move his brother.

"We don't even know where they've taken her." Kelsie pointed out. Alphonse stopped and muttered an "Oh yeah, huh..."

"Central." Edward added. The two looked at him.

"Huh?" they chorused. Edward looked at them like they were stupid.

"All the major cases regarding the military and the protection of the country are taken to Central HQ. Those morons obviously deem Christin as a threat—"

"But she's not!!" Alphonse interjected. He shut up when Edward glared at him.

"They see her as a threat since she's got that strange power and since she came from another world. They're scared another war's going to break out, so they want to take all the necessary steps in order to prevent it." Edward finished.

"Treating her like a wild beast is a necessary step?" Kelsie asked dully.

"Oh! Now I get it. They treated her like that because she fought back, right? She's so cute when she tries hard…" Alphonse gushed, blushing light pink.

"Actually, I'm not sure why they treated her like that. Either way, we're going to Central." Edward confirmed.

Christin woke up to a dull pain in her head. Her back was stiff and her wrists felt raw. Sure enough, the skin underneath her handcuffs was chafing her skin badly. She glanced at her surroundings and her stubbornness (normally dormant) erupted. She was guarded by five men, all stern and gruff and looking very official in their blue uniforms. She glared at them. She probably would've started mouthing off too, but her gag prevented anything but muffled noises from escaping her voice box. One of the five tugged on a chain, making the metal cuffs scrape against her already raw skin. She made an indignant noise and glared, but followed the man lest she be… who knows what they'd do to her if she disobeyed. She didn't want to find out.

"I'm going to un-cuff you, but only so you can change." He said, thrusting a pile of fabric at her. "Try anything and you'll pay." He threatened. Christin nodded and held out her arms. The removal of the cuffs was a huge relief, but she knew it would be short lived. Rubbing the stinging skin, she glared at the man before ducking behind a door to change into the rather shapeless clothing item that she thought resembled a chain gang suit. She found a safety pin on the floor and pinned the middle so it fit snugly around her body instead of just hanging like the shapeless thing it was. She emerged and held out her arms to be shackled again. For the first time since boarding this train the day before, she noticed that there were no other people on board, or at least in this car. She would've asked why but didn't – again, the gag prevented speech. It was also making her drool a bit, but the man removed it soon enough. Her mouth tasted like fabric.

"How considerate of you." She said when a simple loaf of bread was given to her. She munched it slowly, gazing out the window at the sodden landscape. Everything was painted grey and darker grey and growing darker with the falling rain. "May I speak candidly?" she asked politely like she read a character ask in a book she read once.

"Go ahead." One, the man with long blond hair pulled in a low ponytail and draped over one shoulder, said.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked. The men laughed.

"Military base, Central Headquarters. But for you, it might a well be prison." The one with mossy green eyes chuckled. Christin smiled weakly and resumed eating. A few minutes later, she spoke again.

"Did I commit a crime I was unaware of?" she asked. Again, the men laughed.

"You got quite a lot of manners. You can't be more than, what, sixteen?" a man with short, spiked brown hair jeered. Christin was offended.

"I'm eighteen!" she replied hotly. It wasn't the first time she had been mistaken for being younger than she really was. It happened once during her freshman year of high school and it really ticked her off.

"Oh, sorry." The man grinned. She merely glared, something she had been doing a lot in the last day or so.

"Sure y'are." She said. A man with black hair and glasses approached the group.

"Hey, finally man!" blond ponytail man sighed.

"We were wondering when you'd show up, Fuery." Moss green eyes man added. The men got up and left the car and glasses sat down.

"My name's Kain Fuery. I was asked to guard you while the others took a break." He said. Christin let a small smile grace her lips. This officer didn't seem too bad. Actually, he seemed kinda nerdy to be in the military, but hey, the military needs nerds too.

"I'm Christin." She replied kindly. This man seemed decent enough to befriend. "I was captured like some rabid animal and forcibly brought onto this train to who knows where."

"Pleased to meet you." He smiled, extending his hand. Christin reached for it, but was stopped by the chain, which was wound rather intricately around the leg of the bench on which she perched. He pulled out a small silver key and unlocked the cuffs. "I'm sorry about all the stuff you're going through. We just recovered from a war and everyone's still really tense. When I heard that you were from another place, correct me if I'm wrong, I knew that the other officers would go over the top with this. Can't be too careful I guess."

"It's alright. I understand, I think. By the way, I'm not from another place, so to speak. I have a feeling that I can trust you, so I'll tell you the truth – I'm from another world entirely and one in the far future too. What year is it?" she asked.

"It's 1918. Why? How far in the future are you from?" Fuery asked in a low tone, in case someone was eavesdropping.

"Um…" Christin did some mental math, "about 900 to 1000, or so. Give or take a few years." She grinned. Fuery blinked in awe.

"Really?" he asked, excitement creeping into his voice. The two talked for a few hours until Fuery was relieved of his job by another escort. This one had sandy blond hair and a cigarette dangling from his mouth.

"I'm Jean Havoc. So you're the captive?" he asked incredulously, like he wasn't sure they got the right guy.

"What gave it away? The chain gang suit or the shackles?" she asked crisply, moving her arms to make the chains clink together. He grinned and sat opposite her.

"You don't look like the criminal type." He said, taking a long drag from his cigarette.

"I'm not." She snapped. "God, I hope Ed and Al come soon—I can't take much more of this…" she mumbled.

"Ed and Al… as in Edward and Alphonse?" Havoc asked. She nodded, scooching down so her head rested on the back of the bench.

"Yep. Edward and Alphonse Elric. I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know them, but … hey you okay?" she asked. Havoc was choking on his smoke.

"Ed and Al… as in the Fullmetal Alchemist and his brother?" he asked eagerly.

"Fullmetal?" Christin asked.

"Ed…does he have an automail arm?" he pressed.

"Um, I don't know what automail is, but both his right arm and left leg are fake." she mumbled. Havoc, who had grabbed her arms when he began interrogating her, sighed and plopped back on his bench.

"They're back…" he muttered. Christin thought he said something after that, but she fell asleep before she could pursue the matter any further. Edward and Alphonse had some explaining to do the next time she saw them, which would probably be, if she was lucky enough, in court or whatever form of judicial review this country had.


	9. Some Minor Complications

9: Some Minor Complications

Edward watched as Alphonse snoozed peacefully. It was a few days travel from Xenotime to Central and the kid had tired himself out, getting excited about 'being the hero' and stuff. Kelsie sat next to him, also asleep. Edward yawned and stretched out on the bench he had procured for himself, propping his feet up on the seat. They had to wait a whole day before they could leave because they needed some supplies for the trip, mostly good traveling clothes. Edward had managed to find pants similar to the ones he used to wear, made out of a shiny material that was very comfy. He also had a black sleeveless shirt and black jacket. Christin would call him 'goth', but he liked the dark color.

He wondered how she was holding up. She would arrive in Central a day before them, and would probably have more to deal with than finding a place to stay while they busted her out. She'd probably be tested for alchemy, put on trial, have her powers tested and be placed under house arrest, maybe even sent in for research or something. Those thoughts made his blood boil and he ground his teeth together. The setting sun peeked through the grey clouds and reflected off his pants. Before long he was sound asleep and dreaming.

He stood in a field somewhere. A warm breeze ruffled his bangs and played with his clothing. A large tree with pink cherry blossoms loomed over his head, the pink petals dancing in the breeze. A girl called to him, repeating his name over and over. He slowly walked around the tree, trying to find the girl calling to him. The voice sounded familiar, but he just couldn't place it. He heard the sound of fabric rustling and saw the edge of a white dress before it vanished behind the tree. Again he circled the tree, the girl constantly calling his name. He stopped walking on his third circle and turned around. Christin stood before him, but she looked different than usual. Her hair was shorter and she as wearing a white dress. She almost never wore white, claiming it was 'too pure for one stained by darkness', whatever that meant.

"Thank you so much Ed. I love it." She smiled warmly. "You know, when I first met you I never imagined it'd come to this. I always thought, despite our sentiments, I'd end up with Alphonse, but…" she held up her hand and a ring glittered in the sunlight.

He reached for her, almost touched her, but his arm passed right through her. She didn't seem to notice. Suddenly he felt very empty. He wanted to touch her, and be touched. His skin craved hers but still he could not touch her. His desire was so bad he thought he was going to explode.

"I guess it'd be okay for me to say this, right? I l—"

Edward jolted out of his stupor. His face was flushed and he was breathing hard. He instantly remembered the dream and slapped both hands to his face. He wanted her. He shivered at the thought. There was no way on earth _that_ was going to happen. Christin belonged to Alphonse – he almost couldn't want her, based on that. Yet… he had absolutely no control over what his body wanted. He fumbled around and managed to open the window. Cold air whipped around his face as he stuck his head out and inhaled huge gulps of it. He _had_ to calm down. Alphonse and Kelsie were still sleeping and he didn't want either of them to find out what he felt. Especially Alphonse. She belonged to him and as much as he wanted to get in the middle of them, he also didn't want to. Why was this one girl tearing him apart so? She wasn't exactly pretty or particularly talented, well… she had talent, but… she looked so normal. So harmless. Why? Exactly what was it that he found so attractive about her? Another sharp inhale and he pulled his head back inside the car and closed the window, combing his wind-blown bangs straight with his fingers carefully, out of an old habit from when he had automail and got his hair caught in the metal.

"If you don't do something about it, she's going to kill you." Kelsie said, raking her hand through her own hair. Edward jumped and squealed. "Sorry," Kelsie giggled.

"Don't do that!" he gasped, clutching his throat. After a few calming breaths, he spoke again. "There really isn't anything I can do about it. She belongs to Al. I'm not supposed to be a part of it…"a short pause, "How you knew I was thinking about her?" he asked.

"Your face. You wear this weird expression when you look at her, and you were wearing it just now." Kelsie said. It was just before dawn and still very dark, which suited Edward just fine since he was blushing bright red. He glanced out the window and watched the sun crest the horizon, nearly blinding him. A few more days and he would get to see her again. That is… if the military didn't lock her up in a lab or something… or worse.

Alphonse hated how slow the train was moving. There was only a few days left on their trip to Central, but it felt like an eternity. One day already felt like a million years. He would feel less… anxious if he tried running there, but that would take far longer. So he sat practically glued to the seat because he didn't know what to do with himself, staring blankly at the blurred scenery. The sky was still masked by clouds, but the winter sun peeked through here and there, casting a white-yellow glow on the soggy landscape. Dark grey clouds hung in the distance, over where Central would be, so it would either be raining or snowing when they arrived, pending upon the temperature.

Since he had nothing of major importance to do, he pondered a rather serious question that had been nagging at the back of his mind – his past. Christin had shared parts of hers and he had managed to piece together the rest (actually, despite the fact that she had been suicidal and hated by her family, she had had a pretty normal childhood.) but his past—and his brother's, on some level—was different. They had committed one of he worst crimes possible, and paid the price. Did he want to tell her about all that? About all the suffering he and Edward went through because of their selfishness? No, he wouldn't tell her. At least, not yet. But, knowing her, she would probably find out sooner or later and probably by accident. Whether she would care or not was another matter. And then there's Edward's part in all of it… would he be okay with her knowing all that stuff – the Philosopher's Stone, losing his body and nearly dying, the Homunculi? And how would she take all of that?

All this deep thinking was starting to make his head ache, so he forgot about it and leaned against the window, smushing his face against the icy glass pane. He closed his eyes and focused on the cold glass, and when he opened them again he saw a station. The rescue party (Russell and Fletcher stayed in Xenotime, courtesy of Edward) disembarked to take care of business. While wandering around the station looking for a bathroom, someone with silvery-white hair caught his eye. He studied the person carefully and his eyes flew open wide with recognition and slight horror. The person, or rather, girl, was an almost exact copy of Christin. Her hair was not the same length or color, but the face was exactly the same… except for the purple tattoo of a dragon trying to eat its tail on her forehead. He blinked and the copy vanished.

"I must be tired…" he muttered to himself. After attending to his needs, he boarded the train again, wrapping his jacket closely around him for warmth against the biting wind, and returned to the seat he occupied not too long ago. The scent of something warm and delicious tickled his nose. Kelsie had bought some food ad was happily munching away. She saw Alphonse gawking at her and proffered the food. He bit into the roasted meat avidly and tried not to think about anything.

"I realize this is none of my business, but how much do you like Christin?" she asked. Alphonse nearly choked.

"Uh…" he stalled. "A lot?"

"You don't sound very convincing." Kelsie said. "Do you know how much she likes you?"

"Well, um… sh-she said that I make her happy, which is an emotion she had forgotten how to feel. I guess she likes me a lot, I mean, I've noticed that she seems to smile a lot more when I'm around." He babbled.

"What about when Ed's around?" she pressed.

"They always argue about the most stupid things, like they can't stand each other, but then they turn around and maintain perfectly civil conversations. She likes to mess with him too. She's always sneaking up behind him and scaring him." He pointed out.

"She does that to everyone." Kelsie corrected dryly. He nodded, understanding completely. "So you don't know…" she whispered so softly he almost missed it. "It's just going to hurt you even more when you realize it on your own, so I'm just going to say it – Christin's loyalties might not be what they seem." She said.

"What?" Alphonse asked. "Are you saying… that… that… she…?" he stopped, at a loss for words.

"Well, think about where she's coming from. She's had lots of people betray her and her own family didn't want her. That sort of thing can warp a person's mind. She may think that she's going to lose you, so she doesn't get too close and stuff. She once told me… that she told a guy she loved him just because she was bored and wanted to see where it would take her." Kelsie murmured.

"What are you saying?" Alphonse demurred.

"Tread carefully. A person with a damaged mind is more harmful than you know." She warned quickly, since Edward was sauntering over to them. "Don't let her use you as a support. Once she has no need for you she'll cast you aside."

'But she'd never do that… right?' he thought. He just couldn't believe that Christin might be using him. He didn't want to believe.

Christin held her head high as she was led through Central HQ, glaring at anyone who even looked at her. Officers shrunk against the walls when she passed by. She was really pissed off, thus the death glares. Fuery and Havoc, the only decent officers in the entourage that brought her here, were no where to be found. That left her stuck with the pigs that taunted her and treated her like an animal. She lingered a bit, causing the one holding onto the chain attached to her handcuffs to yank it very hard. She jerked forward and made a low growling sound. Ooh, she would love to claw this jerk to death. Or just do something really nasty and painful. The guard stopped to chat with another officer and she took this opportunity to yank the chain as hard as she could. She was hoping the man's grip would falter and she could use it as a whip or something, but the most he did was stumble.

"This one needs a straightjacket, not handcuffs." He snarled, giving the chain one long tug. Christin fell forward and skidded across the floor. The guard then proceeded to drag her to another section of the building. She could hear the complaints of several men, most of them profanity-filled and aimed at the guard who entered.

"You've really sunk low this time—taking in a young girl as a prisoner." One jeered.

"Hey yeah! What the heck did she do to get arrested? Is she even able to do anything worthy of getting arrested?" another added.

"That is no concern of yours, you retarded butt brain!" she snapped. Several men made taunting 'Ooh's' and other such noises.

"She's got a temper." Another man stated. Christin managed to turn around and flick him off. "And attitude." He added, grinning.

"Hey, hey, let her bunk with me!" a man cried. Soon every other male prisoner was calling out similar remarks. Christin looked back at them, disgust written plainly on her face. A single gunshot shut everyone up. A tall woman with amber eyes and long blond hair pulled back from her face, save for her bangs, stood in the doorway Christin had just been dragged through. She didn't look like the type to be messed with.

"That's enough, all of you." She commanded. There were grumbles and murmurings, but the prisoners obeyed. The woman walked up to her and began talking to the guard. She saw Fuery standing meekly behind the door. He noticed her and waved, smiling apologetically. She smiled back and nodded, unable to wave back.

"No, she didn't give a last name." the guard said.

"Tell me your full name, Christin." the woman ordered. Christin glared and thought of a good last name.

"Christin Fallbrook." She said, using the name from a band she liked in lieu of her real name. "Is it too much to ask yours?"

"I am Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. I'm taking charge over you." She said curtly. Then she turned to the guard. "I will not permit her to stay with these dogs."

"She's too dangerous to be let alone, Ma'am." The guard replied.

"Oh, really?" Riza said. "How 'dangerous' is she?"

"Well, she put up quite a fight when we captured her and has been difficult ever since. She keeps trying to bite anyone who gets to close and won't shut up." The guard recalled.

"So, apart from a bad temper, she's normal?" Riza inquired.

"McLean said that she had some tremendous powers, but I ain't seen 'em. He's the one who went to Hakuro and ordered us to capture her." He said.

"Robin McLean…" Riza mused, "Figures he'd be behind the arrest of a seemingly harmless girl. Alright, give me twenty-four hours with her. If she proves 'dangerous' within that time period, I'll let her stay in the prisoner's ward. If not, she stays with me."

"Seems fair enough." The guard agreed, offering the chain to Riza.

"I'm going to trust that you won't cause any problems." She said, taking the key and removing Christin's cuffs.

"I'm going to trust that you'll stick to your word about my twenty-four hours. You don't look like one to be trifled with." Christin replied. She thought she saw Riza's mouth quirk. The two women left the prisoner's ward and traipsed through the headquarters.

"Oh, thank you Lieutenant!" Fuery gushed, running up to them.

"I'm sticking my neck out for you, Fuery. If she's not as harmless as you claim, we'll all be in trouble." Riza replied.

"Thank you." Christin said.

"For what?" the two officers turned to face her.

"For treating me like a human being. I promise I'll try to be as little trouble as possible." She grinned. Fuery smiled. Riza nodded.

"You've been placed under my care, and according to protocol I just can't let you wander about by yourself, so you're going to have to stay close to me at all times. Is that understood, Miss Fallbrook?" Riza said. Christin nodded.

"Uh, you can call me Christin, Lieutenant." She suggested rather meekly. Fuery left a few minutes later, to do what, Christin didn't care. He worked for the military, so she was sure it was something that would give her a migraine. The two women stopped in front of a door.

"I have some work to finish first, and then we'll go get you settled in my apartment." Riza murmured. Christin nodded understandingly. Riza knocked on the door and a few minutes later a male voice told them to enter. "Don't touch anything."

"I'm not retarded. I know what to use my manners." Christin hissed. A man with black hair and eyes sat behind a desk. He looked utterly bored up until the moment the two walked inside the office.

"Who's the girl?" he asked, pointing. Christin was going to make a (probably lame) 'Yo Mamma' joke, but decided not to. Riza ignored him and motioned for Christin to follow her. "Who are you?" he repeated. She looked to Riza for help. The woman nodded, signaling for her to introduce herself.

"My name is Christin Fallbrook. I was arrested, for what I'm not exactly sure, and have been placed in the Lieutenant's care. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance." She said very formally, even adding a small bow.

"I'm Brigadier General Roy Mustang, Lt. Hawkeye's superior. I'm also the Flame Alchemist." He replied.

"Flame Alchemist?" Christin repeated. The term was only vaguely familiar; she heard Edward mention an alchemist once or twice. "What's an alchemist?" she asked rather stupidly.

"Where exactly are you from, Christin?" Riza questioned. The young woman glanced up at the elder, nervousness written all over her face.

"Sonora, California, America, year 2009." She answered honestly. The two officers looked slightly shocked. Roy was the first to speak.

"Well, that explains a lot. You're from another world, and that world's future version no less." He said, smirking like he knew he was a genius.

"Huh?" Christin responded. "Wait… you knew I wasn't from here? Know I'm not from here? Wha… erm… ah... how?!" she cried, exasperated.

"The way you carry yourself, the way you talk, even your outward appearance is entirely foreign." Roy replied smugly. "You're practically advertising yourself."

"Sir, I think you've made your point." Riza stepped in. Christin ground her teeth together and firmly folded her arms, digging her nails into her skin.

"So what, you egotistical, cocky, sarcastic poop muffin with a god-complex? I ain't from here, wherever here is, and I can prove it too!" she huffed.

"Really? How so?" Roy challenged. Christin pushed up the sleeve of her left arm, which had been long enough to conceal her hand since the guards took her gloves, and turned on the device she cherished so much. Marilyn Manson's 'This Is the New S**t" blared in the small office, making Riza and Roy jump. She quickly turned it off because her battery was low.

"Satisfied? Or would you like another demonstration?" she threatened, swiping a pen off the man's desk and planting it firmly in her skin and dragging it in a straight line. Red wires spilled from the broken skin along with blood. A while ago she had discovered that she still had blood and veins and whatnot, but it took some effort to reach it (she actually had gotten a bloody nose) because you had to get past all the wires that had taken root in her arm. And it was only that arm that had wiring in it, as far as she knew, because the rest of her bled normally when wounded. Also, she didn't feel pain in that arm like she used to.

"Well, you've certainly proven your point. That noise—" Roy started.

"Music." Christin interrupted.

"Whatever. That sound was unlike anything I've ever heard and the wires in your arm are too foreign to be automail wires. On top of that I've never seen anyone make…_music_… without an instrument. You truly are a little freak." He finished.

"Thank you much." She grinned.

"I can see why Hakuro ordered your capture. We wouldn't want another war starting anytime soon." Roy mused, lacing his fingers together and propping his elbows on his desk.

"Why would I start a war? You've done nothing to offend me enough to murder hapless innocents." She stated, meaning the country as a whole rather than the individuals she was talking to. "But whoever that Hakuro dweeb is, he deserves a sandwich d'knuckles." She grimaced.

"On that matter, I agree completely. Lt. Hawkeye, I'd like a word with you privately. You may remain here for the moment, Miss Fallbrook." He ushered Riza into an adjoined room. Christin plopped on the couch and cradled her now throbbing head. She used too many big words at one time and her brain felt like it was dissolving.

"They'll turn her into a lab rat!" Roy barked. He had tried explaining the cost of taking care of the foreign girl. "If the higher ups get their hands on her, she'll be lucky if she gets out alive!"

"I'm fully aware of what will happen to the girl if we're not careful." Riza replied coolly. "That's why I came to you. You can offer her some form of protection from those ravenous dogs because of your ranking."

"You can't be serious. What do you want me to do, adopt her?!" he cried.

"If it comes down to it, yes." Riza stated bluntly. Roy sighed and hung his head. "I did all I could to spring her from prison because Fuery reported that she was only dangerous when she wanted to be. From his short mission as one of her guards, he claimed that she was nice to the people who were nice to her. Anyone else she tried attacking."

Roy pondered this. "Well, what if she turns on me if I do… do that?!" he cried. He had never, under any circumstances, considered having a kid, even if that meant adopting some strange girl who seemed to just drop out of the sky. "Man, where's Fullmetal when you need him?" he groaned.

"I fail to see how he ties into this conversation." Riza said.

"We could stick her with him. Not that he needs any more female companions, what with that mechanic of his and the girl from Lior." Roy sighed.

"Very funny sir." Riza remarked. "Remember, it's our last option, if her trial goes against our plan."

"We have a plan? Since when was I part of this?"

"Since I walked into your office a few minutes ago. And yes, we have a plan. Robin McLean was the one who suggested her arrest. He would never suggest something like he arrest of an eighteen year old girl unless there was something worth investigating. Fuery managed to get me a copy of his report." She took a folded piece of paper out of her pocket and handed it to the Bg. General. "it says she 'manifested a power unlike any known to common eyes', meaning she is not an alchemist, but does have some extra abilities."

"I don't see the 'plan' in all that." Roy mumbled.

"We get her too use her powers. Maybe if we get media coverage, someone who can better understand this whole thing will emerge and come to her aid, though she seems fully capable of taking care of herself if she can stand up to McLean and walk away unharmed." Riza turned towards the door. "But keep the adoption in mind, sir. We don't know how this will end."

"I can't believe it…. The Space-Time Alchemist… just what are you planning?" Roy asked the grey landscape. He turned away and walking into his main office. Riza and Christin were leaving. The young woman turned at the last minute and smiled softly at the General. Clearly she was either unconcerned or oblivious to her situation. Roy smiled back.


	10. Uncharacteristic Actions

10: Uncharacteristic Actions and Something to Worry About

Alphonse bumped into a uniformed man as the party shuffled down a street in Central.

"I'm sorry. Excuse me." He apologized. Taking a closer look at the man, he instantly recognized him. "Lieutenant Havoc!" he cried.

"Alphonse?" the chain smoker asked. Edward turned around at the sound of his brother's voice. "And Edward too. You really are back. Guess that girl wasn't lying."

"Hey Havoc. Long time no see." Edward greeted the man with a friendly smile.

"You look different, Ed. You used to be shorter than that." Havoc stated. Edward made an angry noise, ready to get into a rant about his height, when his brother placed a hand on his shoulder. "So you've gotta be, what, twenty-something now?" the blond nodded, still peeved.

"Brother, maybe he knows about Christin." Alphonse whispered.

"Maybe you're right." Edward agreed. "Lieutenant, have you seen a girl with long hair about the same color as Al's around headquarters? She's shorter than me," he said this part smugly, "and has a terrible temper if you piss her off."

"Well, I did guard a girl with that hair color on my trip back to Central, but she was really nice to me. But… the other officers who guarded her said she was a real bother." He sighed deeply. "She was really vicious and kept trying to bite them and she kept cursing at them like there was no tomorrow. I think her name was Christy or something."

"Christin?!" Alphonse asked perhaps too eagerly. Havoc nodded.

"Yeah, that was it. Why, you know her?" he asked.

"Of course I do, I'm her boyfriend!" Alphonse replied hotly, his cheeks flushing. Edward placed a hand in front of his brother's face.

"Do you know where they took her?" he asked, trying very hard to suppress the thrills that shot through his body. She was alive, at least.

"Last I heard, Hawkeye was gonna take care of her." Havoc replied. The Elric brother's sucked in air simultaneously. "I think the girl's moved in with her." They released the air. "Everyone's making a huge deal about it, saying she's been possessed by a demon and other stuff. She's a real freak. She can make weird music come outta nowhere."

"Here. This should pique your interest." Kelsie interrupted, shoving a newspaper in Edward's face. While she and Havoc made introductions, Edward and Alphonse scanned the headlines.

"Possible threat to newfound peace arrested!" the headline screamed. The brothers sighed. "Mysterious girl from a far off land arrested in Xenotime. Eyewitnesses report to seeing strange light and sounds coming from the girl's body." The article went on to explain about the recent war and how people were making efforts to prevent another 'foreign invader' from wreaking chaos. "Military officials agree that the girl, Christin Fallbrook, will stand trial before the council on January 9 to see if she poses any real threat." Edward and Alphonse shared a pained look. There was a rather large picture of her pulling at a chain attached to her handcuffs and nearly sending the man holding the other end to the floor.

"Well, she certainly knows how to capture an audience." Alphonse sighed. He looked around and saw quite a few people holding papers with similar headlines. They were huddled in small groups of two or three and were discussing the matter in hushed tones.

"I'm glad a little abomination like her is locked away, but I do feel sorry for the officers who have to look after her. She looks positively barbaric!" a woman uttered to her husband as they walked past the small group. Alphonse grit his teeth and stuffed his fists into his pockets. He didn't like hearing people talk about Christin like that, but there wasn't anything he could do. Edward folded the paper neatly and handed it to Alphonse, who began tearing it to shreds, and looked to Havoc.

"We need you to get us into HQ." he stated.

"Sorry, no can do. Security's ultra tight there now. I don't know where Hawkeye lives either, so I can't take you there." Havoc replied. Edward sighed gruffly. "Maybe if you talk to Mustang, he could get you in."

"I don't wanna see that guy right now." Edward huffed.

"Well, I gotta go now, so I'll see you around." Havoc waved and wandered off down the street.

"Even if we do get in to see the trail, what will we do? If we try to spring her, they'll just come down harder on her. What do we do, Brother?" Alphonse asked, sadness simply oozing from his voice.

"I think it'd be best if we wait until the trail is over before we do anything. It's only a few days away – she can handle herself." Edward replied.

"The twenty-four hours are up and she has posed no threat to anyone." Riza said. "Her power is strange, true, but it did not harm anyone or anything unless she willed it. Clearly, she is not a threat to the country."

"But she must still stand the trial. The higher ups will make the final decision." The guard who escorted Christin to HQ sighed.

"Decision?" Riza repeated.

"Whether to let her go or keep her as a prisoner of the state. She's actually likeable when she's not angry." The guard noted.

"Everyone's likeable when they're not angry." Riza sighed impatiently.

"I'll go report this. Wait here." The guard ducked inside a room. Riza walked over to the chair on which Christin was perched, her nose buried in a history book. It was slightly boring, but better than American history, which she had spent quite some time studying in school. Better she know at least something about the country she now lived in than strut about knowing nothing.

"They won't let me go." It was more of a statement than a question, but Riza replied anyway.

"We don't know that for sure yet. Either way, you'll have to go through a trial to see if you pose a threat or not." The older woman demurred. The guard reemerged and beckoned for Riza to join him.

"She will have to remain in your custody until her trial." Was all he said, loud enough for the 'she' in question to hear. Riza nodded and the two departed for Riza's apartment. Christin no longer wore the chain gang suit, but had been lent some clothes that no longer fit Riza. The garments were mostly shirts and pants, but Christin didn't mind—she wore those items on a daily basis back in her world.

"As you know, you are considered an illegal alien because you have no family and come from another world." Riza commented.

"Is that a problem?" Christin asked.

"It might be, so I've arranged for you to be adopted, just in case."

"By whom?" the young woman inquired.

"Brigadier General Mustang." Riza replied bluntly. Christin blinked.

"No offense to him, but why can't you adopt me? Wouldn't that be easier?" she asked.

"That may be true, but the Bg. General has more pull politically. Should something go wrong, he will be better able to back you up than I." the lieutenant grinned.

"So basically you think I'm going to screw something up and get into more trouble." Christin said dryly.

"No, but better safe than sorry. You never know exactly what is going on inside the military." Riza motioned to go to the right and the two women entered a store. A few minutes later, they left with Christin carrying the purchase.

"For such a small dog, Black Hayate sure eats a lot." She noted.

"He's taken quite a liking to you." Riza smiled.

"And vice-versa. Normally I'm terrified of dogs, but I really like Hayate." Christin giggled. "I can't believe the date they chose for my trial." She sighed.

"Why's that?" Riza inquired, not caring about the abrupt change of subject. The girl's freedom, and possibly her life, was on the line. She would be worried if the girl wasn't concerned in the least.

"They chose my birthday." She grumbled as if the notion disgusted her. Riza unlocked the door to their apartment and Christin dumped the bag of food on the table.

"How old will you be?" Riza asked.

"Nineteen, but please don't throw me a party or anything. I'm not sure why, but it makes me feel really guilty." She begged, shrugging out of her coat and dusting snowflakes off her head.

"Alright." Riza grinned. She found Christin surprisingly easy to get along with. Sure, the girl had (often intense) mood swings, but she could be very pleasant and quite funny. She had also shown a remarkable talent for drawing and had tacked a few really nice ones on the wall above her bed.

Later that night, Christin lay in bed gazing listlessly out the window. A nearby streetlight made the snowflakes glow a dull yellow-white color. She missed Alphonse terribly and just thinking his name made her heart ache. That, of course, led her to think about Edward and that painful chord struck her heartstrings again. Where were they now? Were they looking for her? Did they even care? No, she was sure they did. She refused to believe otherwise. They just had to be coming. If they weren't she was going to hunt them down and beat the living crap out of them. She didn't notice that she had been crying until she gave a strangled hiccupping sound. She rubbed her face furiously and buried herself under the warm covers, bundling up her hands especially. The apartment was warm, but her hands still got icy cold and she sometimes had difficulty getting them to function because of the poor blood circulation. She reached to the floor and grabbed her headphones, putting them on and turning on her iPod. The battery was dangerously low and she had no way of charging it. Alphonse had made a charger one time, but she didn't know where he was right now. So she only listened to one song before turning it off and going to sleep.

Edward grumbled and pulled his covers over his head. There was a slight ringing in his right ear and a humming sound resonating behind it. He had been perfectly asleep, having that weird dream with Christin and the cherry blossoms again, until that sound woke him up. It intensified a bit and he buried his head underneath his pillow. The trio had rented an apartment not too far from Central HQ and after spending the last few days on a train they all had been eager to sleep in a bed. Completely irritated, Edward sat up and flung the covers off him. He clutched his head and willed the noise to go away. He had only heard that sound when Christin used her iPod and she—

"She's here." He muttered to himself as the sound went away. "She's close by. Oh my—Al! Alphonse! Wake up!" he cried, jumping onto his brother's bed and shaking him awake.

"Huh? Whazzit?" he mumbled, obviously still sleepy. He blinked his eyes and saw his brother's smiling face inches from his. He screamed. "Brother! What are you doing?!" he wheezed.

"She's here. She's somewhere in the city, I just know it!" Edward almost squealed.

"What?!" Alphonse cried, fully awake now. "How do you know?!"

"Whenever she uses that iPod thing, I can hear a frequency and I just heard it a few seconds ago!" Edward exclaimed, bouncing up and down like a little kid. Alphonse had never seen his brother act like this and as starting to get scared.

"Brother, are you on something?" he asked, using a phrase Christin used when people didn't act like themselves.

"What's going on?" Kelsie asked through the door separating the two bedrooms. Edward bounded to the door and flung it open.

"Christin's here! She's somewhere close by!" he cried.

"Okay, cool it." Kelsie said. Edward practically ran for the front door. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go bring her back, where else would I be going?" he grinned.

"In your boxers?" Alphonse asked. Edward dashed back into the guys' room and began getting dressed.

"Why aren't you excited? You should be happy." Edward noted, calming down a bit.

"Do you know where she is?" Kelsie asked bluntly. He paused and shook his head. "Then what's the point of looking for her? You'll just be going on a fruitless excursion around the city."

"I have to agree with Kelsie. I think it'd be best to wait until the 9th to start looking for her. Anything we do before that will probably get us nowhere." Alphonse said. "Go back to sleep and wake up as my brother, not some over-hyper weirdo." He grumbled, crawling under his covers and quickly falling asleep again. Kelsie and a reluctant Edward did the same.

The next day brought a very unsuspected guest, along with a steady flurry of snow. The three members of the rescue party had stepped out to go shopping for food and a newspaper to see if there was any, well, news, about Christin's trial. It was tomorrow, so there should be something. Edward was very confused. Why had he been so excited when he essentially heard Christin? Maybe he was attracted to her after all, or maybe it was just separation anxiety or something. He hadn't seen her in about a week and was surprised by how much he missed her. He bought his paper and brushed snow off the top of his head. His right arm was giving him a fair amount of trouble these past few days, and his leg was showing signs that it would soon follow suit. He wasn't watching where he was going and walked headlong into someone. Both people fell to the ground. He looked up, ready to mouth off at whoever he bumped into, but the words he was forming stuck in his throat.

Ling Yao sat on the ground a few feet away. Lanfan stood behind him, slightly dazed.

"Hey, it's the idiot prince!" Edward exclaimed. Lin looked up and grinned.

"The little alchemist finally returns, eh?" he smirked. Edward ranted about he had actually grown some in the past three years, so wasn't really 'little' anymore. Alphonse and Kelsie emerged from a shop and the five went back to the apartment.

"So why are you two in Central?" Alphonse asked.

"We heard about the foreign girl and were interested." Lanfan replied.

"You heard about that all the way in Xing?" Edward bemused.

"Actually, we were in Dublith when we first saw the papers. I'm not sure why, but I knew that you were connected." Ling said through a mouthful of food. The five continued to converse about what to do about Christin's situation, but no working ideas were conceived.

Christin, meanwhile, had stepped out to take Hayate for a walk. Riza was busy at HQ and to be completely honest politics bored her. As she shuffled down the street, Hayate yapping happily at the snowflakes wafting from the sky, she slowed down and looked in the window of a shop. It was a tattoo parlor. An almost overwhelming urge to go inside consumed her. Back in her world, she had wanted to ink her skin permanently, but at the time her parents wouldn't allow it. However, now, she had no real parents and no one was really telling her what to do. She watched as a few people milled about inside, pouring over dozens of possible designs, but her eyes lingered on the girl behind the counter. Her hair was an almost unnatural silver color and it was parted on the side. She could just barely see a purple blotch in the center of her forehead. The girl turned more toward the window and Christin now saw that it was a tattoo of a dragon trying to eat its tail. She pressed a gloved hand to the glass and studied the girl more closely. There was something eerily familiar about her, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Then the girl looked up and smirked. She had obviously seen Christin's reaction – a shocked and slightly scared stare at an almost perfect copy.

The Homunculus smirked as the human girl who looked much like her hurried away from the window. Her name was Deceit, and it was a role she filled well. Right now she was posing as a tattoo artist, mostly because her superior ordered it.

"Let's not keep the customers waiting, Deceit." A womanly voice chided. A man with dark green hair and a headband emerged from the back room.

"Yes, Envy." She demurred, ushering a customer into the back room to begin inking his skin. She let her smile falter a bit. Envy was the one who saved her and told her about what she was – a failed attempt at human transmutation that lived off Red Stones. Envy was very old. His appearance showed it for while he didn't look old, he wasn't as lively as he had been when she first met him. He seemed almost tired, like life had lost interest. She shrugged it off and began preparing the customer's skin for the ink, cleaning it and whatnot. Her hands took control and her mind wandered. A name floated through her memory, and a face. Robin McLean. He wore a spiffy blue uniform, but terror masked his face. She felt something that might have been a twinge of heartache, but it vanished before it could take root inside her.

Envy had said that Robin was the one who created her, because they had been romantically involved before she died in a train accident. He was a well-known state alchemist and desperation drove him to human transmutation. He had opened the Gate and was thrust to the other side while Envy had come through from the other end. He gave her Red Stones and she became the being she was today. Apparently there had been seven Homunculi total before she had been created, but they all had died except Envy. He was originally going to give her the name of one of the deceased, but she did not fall into a suitable category. So he named her Deceit.

A few weeks ago, they had learned of Robin's return to Amestris. He was the Space-Time Alchemist, so it was only natural that he would find a way back, though alchemy didn't work on the other side of the Gate. What they also learned was that a girl with strange powers had arrived at nearly the same time and that Robin had become obsessed with her because she looked exactly like Deceit before the transmutation. Envy instructed her to keep an eye on the girl, for what reason she was not sure. Still, she knew that he had a reason.

She wiped the man's skin clean and placed a bandage over the still settling ink so it wouldn't smudge or catch on anything. It was a job she knew well, because memories of what must've been her former life plagued her constantly. She had been a young Amestrian girl with a passion for art. Upon spontaneously deciding to get a tattoo, mostly to surprise Robin, she had quickly fallen in love with the art, becoming a tattoo artist soon after. Then she had been riding a train to Central, why she could not remember (not that she cared, anyway. That was the past and it did not affect her like it had when she was first made, but the memories still tormented her at times) and something went wrong and the train crashed. She had died almost instantly.

Deceit forced the memories back into the recesses of her mind, where they belonged, and stepped out of the back room. The other customers had filed out, leaving only the Homunculi in the shop.

"I still don't see why we must watch over that copy. She looks like nothing of interest." She muttered, hopping up on the counter.

"That girl is involved with that pipsqueak," Envy snarled, referring to his so-called half brother with which he held a terrible grudge. "She's the key that will bring him to me, so I can exact my revenge." Deceit shrugged. She didn't care about old grudges, though sometimes it looked like she did. Detachment was one thing that made it easy for her to deceive others; she was even able to lie so well that she made it look like she was a terrible liar—no one suspected a thing.

Christin slammed the door behind her and leaned against it, trying to steady her uneven breathing. On top of seeing the strange look-alike, she had spotted Alphonse and Edward and Kelsie. She had wanted to go up to them, to let them know she was okay, but something deep inside her gut told her to run. She slid to the floor, secretly glad Riza was still at work. Just what was that odd sensation that ripped through her when she saw the look-alike, and appeared again when she saw her friends?

It was fear. Raw, pure, undaunted fear.


	11. Standing Up and Standing Out

11: Standing Up and Standing Out

Christin rolled over in her bed, dreading that afternoon. Her trial was at noon, still a few hours away, but she felt really awful. Her head ached and he stomach churned most unsettlingly. Riza went about her daily routine, understanding Christin's rather unnatural behavior. If she was in the girl's place, she would probably act similarly. But, the girl eventually got up and showered and prepared for the day. She refused to eat anything, on the pretense of getting sick in public. At eleven thirty, the two women waked briskly to HQ, completing the ten minute walk in less than five because of the heavy snow fall. Christin had seen the newspapers and had fixed a bit of her 'barbaric image' with a few public appearances. She even went into town with Roy one time, to promote their possible 'familial relationship'. Headlines screamed about the Bg. General's kindness and the notion of taking the foreigner under his wing as 'true chivalry in a time when such qualities are scarce' and there was even a bit about her 'heroic deed' in Xenotime. By the time of the trial, she had the majority of the population of Central supporting her.

Of course, the rescue party, which now included Lin and Lanfan, had followed the whole thing very closely. Edward, despite his grumblings, went to HQ and managed to bargain about letting him and his brother in to see the trial, on the pretext that, pending on the situation's outcome, he would reapply for a state alchemist certification.

"I'm curious to see how things have changed in my absence." He admitted. The military was eager to have such a powerful alchemist under their control again, so of course they agreed to let him and his brother be spectators, though they would have to sit amidst the reporters who had flocked to the city in the time leading up to the trial. Alphonse was so happy he thought he was going to explode.

Christin stood in front of a mirror in a women's bathroom. She had taken extra care to make sure she looked nice for her debut, dressing in a long, flowing black skirt and black tank top. She also wore a black blazer and had her hair pinned up, something very unnatural for her, even back in her world. Riza had given her a pair of military issue bots and they were surprisingly comfortable. Gazing at her reflection, she almost didn't recognize herself. She unbound her hair and let the curls fall around her shoulders. She also unbuttoned her blazer. Using the red ribbon she had pinned in her hair, she tied it around her neck like a choker. Lastly, she brought out her new pocket knife, courtesy of Riza who was almost always armed and prompted the same for her, and 'tailored' her skirt, cutting it to the length of skirts she used to wear back in her world, which meant the hem came down just above mid-thigh. Now she felt more like herself. She strode confidently out and waited to be admitted into the room where her trial as going to take place.

Edward and Alphonse managed to procure seats together, as close to the floor as possible. Front row, essentially. The room was dimly lit, but they could see and hear reporters and officials filing in and filling up the empty seats. Alphonse kept scanning the surroundings, looking for familiar faces. He thought he spotted Roy, but shrugged it off.

Finally, everyone quieted down and the person presiding over the trail spoke.

"Bring in the defendant." He commanded like he was a judge in a courtroom, which basically he was. Double doors at the far and of the room opened and a figure strode out, flanked by another. The flanking figure stopped by the edge of the small area used when state alchemists applied and tested their skills, while the main one preceded o the very center. A spotlight illuminated the area and Alphonse's breath hitched in his throat. Christin was in the middle, as one would expect, standing with one hip cocked and her arms folded. He could just barely make out the smirk she wore. Suddenly, the past few days felt like an eternity. Had she always been that pretty? It felt like it had been years since he last saw her. But… she looked slightly different, more like the girl she had been when they first met, sassy attitude and all. She looked around at the spectators and her eyes settled on him. At first she looked shocked and a bit scared, but her grin slid back into place and she winked. Clearly she was unconcerned about her situation.

"Do you know why you're here, Miss Fallbrook?" another man asked, his voice booming.

"Yeah. Don't you? You're the ones who summoned me here – I doubt you need your memory jogged." She sassed.

"Don't get smart with me, young lady." He growled.

"Why? Your brain can't handle it?" she asked with mock innocence. The man slammed his hand on the table in front of him and several other officers and stood up.

"Let's just move along." Another suggested. The angry one sat down with a huff. "Miss Fallbrook, you've been brought here because we think you might be a threat to the newfound peace. Do you intend to harm us or engage war?"

"Well, that's a dumb question. Do I really look that dangerous?" she asked. "No, I don't intend to harm or instigate war or whatever."

"Your speech patterns are slightly foreign. Where exactly are you from?"

"Sonora, California, America. The year's 2009." She droned. There were slight murmurs by the spectators.

"So you admit to being from another world?"

"Duh." She said, folding her arms across her chest. The interrogation continued.

"Upon your arrest, Colonel Robin McLean reported seeming strange lights and sounds coming from your body. Can you confirm this?"

"Yeah, I did make music and light appear. Why, you want a demo?" she inquired.

"Is this power alchemy, by any chance?"

"Alchemy? Oh, the quid pro quo thingie. No, uh, I'm pretty sure it's not alchemy." She denied.

"Quid pro quo?" an officer asked.

"It means 'this for that'. Basically it's just a fancy way of saying 'this for that', 'fair trade', 'an equivalent exchange'." She recited. "I read some history books and it explained a bit about 'the principle of equivalent exchange' when it covered your alchemy stuff."

"Do you even know what alchemy is?" another man inquired, false boredom oozing from his voice.

"Well, where I'm from, it's just a bunch of loonies trying to transmute lead into gold, but it wasn't working so they looked for this Philosopher's Stone thingie, which was supposed to be some all-powerful catalyst or something."

"Have you ever seen alchemy before?" Christin nodded. "Where?"

"Um… lessee… I think it was in a town called Xenotime or something. There's this guy there, a real idiot, and he and his brother did some stuff with circles and lightning." She said, waving her hands.

"The alchemists – what are their names?" the Elric brother's held their breath, fearing she would mention them, though she had not witnessed any transmutations by them.

"Russell and Fletcher Tringham. Russell's a doosh but Fletcher is alright. So, you want that demo or not?"

"What?" the sudden change of subject caught most of the people off guard.

"C'mon, don't tell me you forgot. After you asked where I was from, you said that Robin reported me using a weird power. I confirmed it and asked if you wanted to see it, but you asked me if it was alchemy and we got off on a whole little tangent about alchemy. You guys wanna see it or not?" she rambled. "Cuz if you don't I understand. I mean, y'know, its okay to be scared of something strange to you and I to—"

"That's enough. Very well, show us your 'demo'. But be warned, if you hurt anyone, you will be arrested again and will become a prisoner of the state."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. I won't hurt anyone, I just might damage the ground or something, but it's okay cuz it'll be fixed when I'm done." She babbled, turning her attention to her iPod. "Oh, would you turn off the lights? It's better for the overall effect." She spent a few minutes scrolling through the 350 songs on her iPod before finally settling for Numb by Linkin Park, a song she knew she could sing very well. The lights went out and at first only the light was from the small screen on her hand.

"She's going to pick a loud song, isn't she?" Alphonse asked.

"I really don't know." Edward replied, unable to turn his attention away from the center floor. He could just barely hear the frequency from her machine over the low din of the spectators.

The music started, softly at first, and everyone shut up. Right before the point it would get noisy, Christin turned the volume up to max and the white light exploded from her body in tune with the music. The verses were fairly normal, with only the light swirling around her. The chorus was entirely different – more light materialized and seemed to cut into the ground. The sound of her voice and the music resonated in the building, making the entire structure vibrate dangerously. Alphonse was giggling madly; he was thoroughly enjoying the display. Edward just watched, unable to do anything else. Several reporters were snapping photos with cameras; others were scribbling stuff down in small notebooks. At some point Christin had been lifted off the ground and was levitating a few feet above the ground, singing for all she was worth. The song was drawing to a close and she moved closer to the ground as the cracks in it healed with the aid of the light. The song ended, the light vanished, and everything went back to normal. Christin was breathing hard and was sweating a bit, but she grinned anyway.

"Satisfied?" she asked, folding her arms again.

"We'll take a fifteen minute break to deliberate what we just witnessed. Everyone is free to mull about as they wish." The judges left the room and chaos erupted. Several reported leapt off the spectator stands to interview Christin. She smiled, posed for pictures, and answered questions to the best of her ability. She saw Alphonse standing up near his seat and waved.

"Miss Fallbrook, what will you do if you're granted the freedom you so dearly covet?" a reporter asked.

"The same as anyone, I guess. Just live my life, maybe travel a bit." She answered honestly.

"But what if you're denied freedom?" another inquired.

"You mean locked away? Naturally, I'd try to get my freedom back. It's like this… they can't take me because I'm free. They don't own me and I'm not some pawn they can push around. If they try to subdue me, I'll fight back."

"But what if your 'fight' fails?"

"It won't. I'm either going to win back my freedom or die trying." She replied. The reporters continued to ask her about the machine in her hand, what she did for fun, and other topics of interest. The judges reentered the room and ordered for everyone to take their seats. Christin took the opportunity to sneak over to Edward and Alphonse. She uttered a quick 'hello' and gave them both kisses on their cheeks before returning to her place.

"We have deemed your power as lethal only when you wish it so. Others who have witnessed it can agree. But because you are not a legally bound to the country, we cannot let you go."

"What?!" she cried. "Why not?!"

"You have no family or means of supporting yourself should something go wrong. We have no official records of you, so you are considered an illegal alien."

"So if I become 'legal'…" she made finger quotes. "…you'll let me go?"

"Correct."

"Well, geez! What do I have to do get married or something?!" she snapped.

"Considering your circumstance, you must either wed or be adopted. Until then we cannot let you leave."

"Now, sir, before time runs out." Riza prompted Roy. He sighed and stood up.

"I can provide a solution to the issue at hand," he said. "There has already been talk of my consideration of the girl's situation."

"You, Mustang?" one judge asked incredulously. "I never thought I'd see you attempt to settle down."

"Don't mistake my intentions – although the girl is of marriageable age, she is a bit too young for my tastes." He smirked.

"What?" Edward growled. He had a notion of what the former Colonel was getting at, and he didn't like it.

"Are you saying that you're going to adopt her?" another judge asked.

"There have been multiple accounts of the girl being completely harmless, if not bad tempered. I think I can handle adopting one teenage brat." He smirked. Christin glanced up at him and mouthed 'thank you'. He nodded briefly.

"Alright, Brigadier General. But be aware that you will be held responsible for any actions that are… suggestive." A judge confirmed. "You and the girl will meet with us shortly after. Everyone else is free to leave; this trial is over. The girl gets her freedom." With that the judges left, followed by Christin, Roy and Riza. The crowd erupted into applause.

"She certainly knows how to attract attention." Edward grumbled. Alphonse smiled, instantly guessing his brother's sentiments. "I can't believe that guy is _adopting_ her." He said the word like it was poison. The blond man got up and started leaving, his brother following close behind.

"Oh, my darling Aislinn…you will be mine once again…" Robin mumbled. He had stood in the shadows, out of sight of everyone. He let a smug grin slide across his face. "My transmutation worked after all…"

Alphonse saw the man lick his lips hungrily as the two brothers exited the room. The gleam in his eyes sent shivers down the boy's spine.

"Well, Mr. Elric? What did you think? Quite an interesting display, was in not?" an officer asked.

"Interesting." Edward echoed. He looked up at the man, who was watching him expectantly. "I'll need some time to think it over." He concluded. The officer nodded and walked off.

"Alphonse!! Edward!!" a familiar voice cried. Alphonse had barely turned around before Christin flung herself at him. "You came." She whispered. Alphonse hugged her tightly. He had really missed her the past few days.

"Of course we did. Brother got us in to see you by saying that he was considering rejoining the military." Alphonse replied without thinking.

"You were in the military?" she asked with childlike curiosity. Alphonse realized that Christin knew next to nothing about their life before she came into it, so it was only natural that she wouldn't know about Edward being a state alchemist. They had never told her either. She was about to comment further when Roy's voice cut in sharply.

"Christin, if you don't get moving I'm going to leave you here." He threatened. She turned around and looked at him. Indeed, he was walking away.

"I gotta go, but I promise I'll see you soon." She said swiftly, turning back to the boys. She and Alphonse kissed goodbye, a gesture Edward found rather embarrassing to watch. She noticed and turned on him. "What, you want a kiss too?" she asked.

"What? No. I'm okay." Edward said hastily. Christin grinned and sidled up almost uncomfortably close to him.

"Suit yourself." She said before licking the side of his face. It took a few seconds for the brothers' brains to register what happened, but by that time Christin had disappeared down the hall.

"That's gross!" Edward cried, furiously wiping the side of his face with his sleeve. He turned to Alphonse, mouth open to speak, but stopped. Alphonse was simply staring after her, though she had vanished a short while ago. There was something in his gaze that really caught Edward's attention – he saw desire reflected in his brother's eyes. He almost didn't believe it. Sweet little Alphonse desiring a girl…_ that way?_ He pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming or anything. But Alphonse still had that same look in his eye.

"Soon…" he repeated, bringing a hand up to his lips.

"C'mon, let's go. This place is depressing me." Edward said, grabbing his brother's collar and dragging him out of HQ.

Alphonse followed numbly, like he was a dog on a leash. He walked, but wasn't aware of where he was going. He figured Edward knew that, leaving him to swim around in his thoughts. Each time he saw Christin, he was more and more attracted to her. He wanted to make her smile and laugh. He wanted…

He wanted to make her his.


	12. The Machine

12: The Machine

It had been two weeks since Christin had been adopted and the majority of those two weeks she spent sitting in a special recording studio while government officials recorded all three hundred and fifty songs on her iPod, first just the songs themselves, again with her singing along, and a third time with her singing the lyrics by herself (though she had the music playing in her head (because of her headphones) so she wouldn't screw anything up). Any time she wasn't recording like mad, she either spent helping Roy sign all the paperwork he procrastinated on finishing or taking care of Black Hayate. She had not seen the Elric's since the day of her trial and she missed them a lot.

Today, just another day of hanging around HQ, she shuffled down a random hallway, not bothering to remember which direction she came from because she intended to get lost. Her throat was scratchy and she was starting to lose her voice a bit. Faint gunshots rang in her ears and she turned her head in the direction they came from. She slowly crept up to a door that was left slightly open and peered inside. Riza was shooting at a target with almost unbelievable precision. When she stopped for a bit, Christin clapped gently.

"I didn't know you could do that," she said. Riza smiled and offered her the gun.

"Would you like to try?" she asked. Christin blinked.

"Me? Uh… that might not… um… I mean… sure, why not?" she finally decided. Carefully she took the gun from Riza's hand and aimed at the target. Yes, she had used a gun before and killed a man, but he was less than a foot away from her and was an easy target. When she pulled the trigger, the bullet never came close to the target. She laughed dryly and lowered the gun. "I suck." She stated.

"Well, you haven't had any training, I assume." Riza nodded.

"I've done better with a bow and arrow…" the teenager mused, handing the gun back to its owner. "I… have no idea how I got here, so I'm just gonna stay instead of leave." She said, her voice rasping a bit.

"If you would like, I can instruct you." Riza suggested.

"Sure." Christin agreed.

"How are you adjusting to your new life?" Riza asked. Christin paused knocking her arrow, as Riza had found a bow and quiver full of arrows.

She shrugged, "Eh, it's alright. Roy seems to be a bit of a player, but that's his thing so I got no say in that. For the most part he just leaves me alone, which suits me just fine; I never was one for a close-knit family with people breathing down your neck over every thing you do." She pulled back the arrow until the string was taut. "I'd rather have freedom than a family, and even then I'd make them pack up and travel with me. I have some trouble with settling down. If I'm stuck in one place for too long, I get weird."

"You remind me somewhat of Edward." Riza sighed. Christin let the arrow go.

"What? I-I do? How?!" she babbled, blushing vermillion. Instantly thoughts of Edward flooded her mind and she had to force herself to focus.

"Never mind," Riza chuckled. She couldn't help noticing the shadow that crossed the young girl's face.

"Why do I get the feeling that he's hiding something from me?" she asked, partially to herself. "Everyone here seems to know him and they keep calling him 'Fullmetal'. They also keep asking me weird questions and it feels like I've been left out of a special loop, like I'm just an intruder. Some invisible being that no one bothers to notice." Her hands dropped to her sides.

Christin let a tight smile spread across her face. Riza watched in concern. She knew the girl had been rather drastic over some things, and right now she looked like she was about to snap.

"I thought it would be different this time. I thought that I might not be snubbed by the people I cared about here. I guess I was wrong." She muttered bitterly, knocking another arrow and firing without bothering to aim properly. The arrow hit the target's heart.

She slumped against the wall, completely caught up in her personal tirade.

"I mean, I know I've always been kind of ignorant, but that's mostly my fault. I block out what I don't want to hear. But when people keep things from me… I don't even know anymore." She moaned.

"You really are like him." Roy's voice cut in. "it's almost creepy how much you and Edward can be alike."

"I'm nothing like him!" Christin replied hotly. "Do you see any resemblance?" sh asked, gesturing randomly.

"Well, you're both kind of short." Roy grinned.

"What the fuck?! I am a perfectly normal sized person!!" she cried. "Five feet, two inches is not short! You're all just super tall freakazoids!"

"Sir, I think it'd be best if you drop the subject." Riza cut in.

"Why? I'm having fun." Roy whined.

"Sir, she's armed." The woman replied, gesturing to the bow and arrows. Christin blinked and looked in her hand.

"Oh yeah, huh. Well, wouldja look at that." She said.

"Come on. I'm done for the day so we can go home now." Roy said. Christin nodded and followed.

"Why are they making me record all my songs?" she asked on their drive home.

"To be completely honest, I'm not sure." Roy replied. "You're a pop icon now. I bet they plan to use you to make money or something by selling your songs or something."

"You mean like a rock star?" she perked up. "Like, I'll get to play big shows and have hundreds of screaming fans flock to wherever just to see me perform and just get really really famous?"

"That sounds about right." Roy chuckled.

"Roy? Um… Ed as in the military right?" she asked softly.

"Did he tell you that?" he asked.

"No… other people keep talking about him so I figured you'd know something about that. I haven't seen them in a while and I don't know where they're staying so I can't ask him." She admitted.

"That's a story he should tell you himself, but yes, he was in the military, several years ago." Roy said. The rest of the ride was silent. "I have another date tonight, so I'll be leaving around eight." He said when they were inside.

"What time will you be home?" she asked. "If you're coming home at all." She added.

"I don't know." He grinned. Christin held up her fingers so they formed a "W".

"whatever." She sassed.

"Oh, Riza had this sent over yesterday." He pointed to a package on the table. "There's a ball Sunday night for the state alchemists. Since you're legally my kid now, you have to attend."

"Kay…" she said uncertainly, eyeballing the package.

"You can open it." The man said bluntly. The girl started to open the package slowly, but was soon ripping it apart because she had this odd affinity for _not_ being able to open anything. Once she had to ask her friend to open her water bottle when it had already been opened before. That's how pathetically weak she could be. Red and black fabric spilled out of the remnants of the packaging.

"Wow…" she mumbled, holding up the gown. It was a strapless dress made of dark red silk with floral accents in shimmery black thread formed in the shape of a rose, her favorite flower. The skirt was floor length and looked as if it would form a perfect circle when she spun around. Black tulle draped over the skirt and was gathered at the left hip and decorated with black bows and fake flowers so real looking she thought that they were. The right shoulder was just a bunch of black ribbons tied off at the place it would rest on her shoulder. The outfit was made complete by a pair of red high heels and black elbow length gloves.

"I'm guessing you like red and black." Roy chuckled.

"Black and red." She corrected. "But if the dress was made in black and red, it wouldn't look as pretty, so she went with red and black."

"I'm lost." Roy sighed.

"Saying red and black means that red is the primary color while black is the secondary color. However, saying black and red indicates that black is the primary color whereas red is the secondary. Trust me, I now these things. I'm an artist." She said to his confounded look. The phone's abrupt ringing caused her to jump.

"Hello?" Roy answered. He waited silently while the person on the other end talked to him about who knows what. "Right now?" he asked. "Yes, I'll send her over."

"Please don't make me go back there. If there is a god in heaven please don't make me go back to record something." Christin muttered to the ceiling.

"You're wanted at HQ. They said it was urgent." He reported.

"Shit," she swore. "If you're really up there, you suck." She hissed at the ceiling.

"Can you get there by yourself?" he asked.

"Yeah. I'll take my bike." She grumbled, waving as she went outside to where her new motorcycle was parked.

The military was sure sucking up to her – they sent it to her as an apology for treating her like a criminal. Whatever the reason, she liked the vehicle anyways. She had always been oddly attracted to them back in her world, but never got around to getting one. Actually, she had never taken driving lessons either, although she did pass driver's ed. The only time she had driven was in video games where she kept flooring it and crashing into almost everything and occasionally going off the road, especially in Mario Kart's Rainbow Road track. She, however, had been given lessons upon receiving the 'gift' and now knew how to drive the thing like a pro (in her mind).

"I'm here. What do you want?" she half snapped at the person heading her research/recording sessions, Finley Campbell.

"We want to run some tests," he explained as he led her down the hall. "Your power is very strange, very _unique_ and we want to run a few tests and analyze you so we can determine exactly what kind of power you have."

"Uh-huh" she grumbled. She then muttered something in Japanese.

"Beg pardon?" Finley asked.

"It means 'test subject' though I might have pronounced it wrong. I learned it from Inuyasha a few years back." She explained, waving her hand dismissively.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He sighed.

"Good." She hissed, folding her arms across her chest. She was led into a large room that resembled any science lab she had seen in a movie. Lots of contraptions lined up along one wall that had a large glass pane in it to reveal anything that might be going on in the next room. If she was right, the other side would just have a mirror so the inhabitants wouldn't know they were being watched. But she already knew that. A man she had never seen before, a short and squat figure with thinning hair and circular spectacles, smiled when she entered the room, a gesture that sent shivers down her spine.

Several minutes later, she found herself hooked up to a few machines, probably gauges of some sort, in the room on the other side of the glass. She glared up at the scientist as he fumbled with wires and whatnot.

"Okay, what we want right now is just a reading of your powers. Don't do anything too drastic or dangerous." The squat man said through a microphone. She saw the door open behind him and watched as he turned to greet the person who had just entered. She bit her lip to keep her mouth from falling open. "Miss Fallbrook, this is Mr. Elric. He's been sent to observe the studies we will be conducting." The scientist said. She was more than half expecting to see Edward and was completely taken aback when she laid eyes upon Alphonse's smiling face.

Alphonse forced himself to smile at her. It had been quite a while since they last saw each other and for some reason he didn't seem to miss her as much as he thought he would have. Not that there was anything they could've done. Neither knew where the other was staying and she was kept cooped up in HQ for the majority of her days. Again, he felt that more than slightly odd stirring deep inside him, that desire to fully claim her as his own. Edward had gotten out of doing the job on the pretense that he was sick, though ironically enough he did contract a cold, and Alphonse gladly volunteered to take his place. Lin and Lanfan had vanished and Kelsie had taken up working because they needed money. He hated seeing Christin connected to so many cords and wires like some sort of technological marionette, but he sat down to observe like he was supposed to.

The length of 'Every Heart' by Boa later, Christin shut off her iPod and glared expectantly at the people behind the glass. Why was Alphonse just sitting there? Why didn't he do something, like, maybe, bust her out?

"Very good. Okay, you can remove the cords now. That was all we needed for now." Finley said. She angrily brushed off the cords suction-cupped to her arms and head. Robin entered the room and injected something into her arm without even bothering to explain what it was or why he was doing it.

"Ow!" she exclaimed, rubbing her arm where the syringe had punctured her skin. She glared at the man and stormed past him, profanity flowing from her mouth and half of it in languages they couldn't understand. Robin smirked.

"Did you put that machine in her skin?" Finley asked later on. "I still have my doubts that something that small will actually work."

"Please," Robin started. "I'm the Space-Time Alchemist. The future I obtained the device from can guarantee its success. Unless she figures out a way to remove it, the machine will let us know exactly where she is and will let us control her power. The nanobot will work."

"I can't believe that jerk just stabbed me with a syringe!" Christin ranted to Alphonse. "He didn't even say why!"

"No comment," he chuckled. "Christin… be careful around that guy. I don't trust him."

"I figured that much out. Who the halibut just goes up to someone and stabs them with a freakin' needle?!" she cried.

"I'm being serious!" he snapped. She shut up and stared at him; in all the time she had known him he had never raised his voice to her, and certainly not in such a serious manner. "Just be careful okay? The military…" he paused, "the military has been stained… bad things have happened here. I don't want you to be part of that."

"I'll be careful, but only because you asked me to. I better go; say hi to everyone for me. Oh…" she scribbled something down on the back of his hand. "This is my address. I'm usually home by four and if not I can be found here." The two walked outside to where her bike was parked.

"You drive?" he asked rather skeptically.

"Only this." She kicked the front tire. "Say, Roy was telling me that there's going to be a party or some crap like that this Sunday. He's making me go with him. You should come, and bring Edward too. I miss him." She climbed on the vehicle and kick-started it. "See ya later!" she called over her shoulder as she zoomed off.

The drive back home wasn't very long, but to Christin it felt like an hour. Why did she tell him to bring Edward? Moreover, would they even be allowed to go to the party? As far as she knew, they weren't state alchemists… oh…she had forgotten to pester him about Edward's supposed involvement with the military. Oh well, she could always do that later.

The next day she was allowed to wander the parade grounds. What fun that would be, she thought somewhat bitterly, aimlessly walking around a big expanse of rain soaked cement. Whoopee. She gazed dully out at the gray ground before her. The snow had stopped and rain was taking its place, meaning winter was ending. Any snow that had accumulated around the city had either melted or been dissolved by the rain, so the entire city was a big, grey, blotch of soggy building material and people who looked equally as soggy. She walked circles around the farthest edges, dragging her feet through the scattered puddles and occasionally kicking up water. Sunlight sliced through the clouds and caught the water, making it sparkle. A small smile tugged at her lips.

Havoc shuffled out of HQ, puffing on his cigarette. Icy water splashed him in the face.

"Aah!" Christin cried. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see you there!" Havoc blinked water out of his eyes and wiped his face with his sleeve. Christin stood before him in a massive puddle. Her pants up to her knees were completely soaked and large splotches of water dotting the rest of her clothing. Water droplets hung in her hair, making it curl a bit around her face, which was slightly red like she had been doing rigorous exercise or something. "See, there were all these puddles and… well, I hadn't really danced in a while so I... uh… I just couldn't help myself. I'm sorry."

"You dance?" he asked, tossing away his dampened cigarette to light up another one.

"Umm… not publicly. At least, I try not to." She admitted, blushing slightly. She promptly sneezed. "Maybe I better dry off… I'm going to get that stupid piggly-wiggly disease again…" she muttered, waving as she sloshed through the puddle and squeaked her way inside.

She barely reached the steps before a sharp, high pitched squealing sound flooded her head. It sounded like it came from a machine or something. Either way, it was exactly the sort of sound that gave Christin intense migraines and practically made her stop whatever she was doing. She pressed a hand to her forehead and tried to focus. The screaming was filling her entire brain and thinking soon became impossible. All she could do was clutch her head and whimper. Soon enough the sound became so intense that she sunk to the ground and blacked out.

"That's no good! What good will she be if that thing makes it impossible for her to do anything?!" Finley cried.

"You're not thinking big enough, Finley. With her conscious mind put on stand-by, so to speak, taking control of her will be easier. She's just a machine; it won't hurt her." Robin said so calmly it was eerie.

"She's… a machine?" Finley asked.

"Don't play stupid with me. You know what's happening to her as well as I do. The machine she brought with her when she breached dimensions fused with her body. You saw what happened to Kaylee, right? How her digital camera slowly consumed her body and turned her into a machine? The same thing is happening to Aislinn. Unless she stops it, her iPod will eventually consume her, turning her into a machine, a piece of technology to be used… and possibly thrown away." Robin chuckled darkly, his dark grey hair falling over his equally grey eyes.

"Any technology from another dimension, if the owner isn't too attached to it, will connect with the owner and take over their body." Finley recited. "But, Miss Fallbrook only _looks_ like the Aislinn we knew. Remember? The old one—"

"Shut up!" Robin barked. Finley cringed. "You don't know anything. Aislinn abandoned me… hurt me. That's why… I'm going to hurt her," he growled, eyes flashing dangerously.

Outside, Deceit perched on the windowsill, invisible to anyone who happened to pass by because of her powers. A small grin slid across her face and she vanished into the coming night. Things were working out perfectly.


	13. The Race

13: The Race

Christin woke up in a blindingly white room. An itchy smell scrambled up her nose and she sat up and rubbed her nose furiously. Her head exploded in pain and she flopped back down, only to hit her head against the bed she was resting on super hard and sit up again, this time falling out of it completely and landing very hard on the tile floor, which made her head hurt again. She sneezed and started coughing at the same time.

"Don't die." Roy's sarcastic voice cut into her mini-trauma. She looked up to see a slightly shocked look on his face and burst out laughing.

"What did you give her?" Riza asked. Another peal of laughter echoed in the infirmary.

"I-it was just some anesthesia… laughing gas, really…" Fuery stuttered around another round of laughter.

"I'm good. I'm good," Christin said, standing up. "No I'm not." She said before bursting into laughter.

"It was the only way we could've calmed her down!" Fuery said, flustered.

"I is high," she giggled, receiving strange looks from everyone. "Oh my god. I really a ma a crack head! My aunt was right!" she babbled. Alphonse burst into the room, slightly sweaty and breathing hard.

"What happened? Is she okay?" he asked. She stood up and immediately sank back down.

"Why are you standing on the ceiling, Ally?" she asked sweetly. "And why is the floor on the wall?" she rapped the tile floor with her knuckles.

"Dare I ask… what happened?" he drawled. Christin giggled and sat on the ground.

"I'm a freakin' magical unicorn that poops sunshine!" she cried. "My box of gum said so." She nodded.

"Well, long story short… she collapsed earlier and when we brought her to the infirmary she started twitching and Fuery gave her a sedative but it turns out it was liquefied laughing gas." Riza reported.

"I is high," she sang, rocking back and forth.

"As if she wasn't weird enough already…" Alphonse sighed.

"Alphonse, I gots a question fer you." She said, standing up. "Why are you so sexy?"

"I'll be taking her home now." Roy interjected. At that moment Edward walked into the room.

"Yay! Edward's here!" she cried, flinging her arms around his neck. "I'm high," she giggled. "You should have some of whatever they gave me. Everything's so green!"

"But there's nothing green in the room." He replied.

"There isn't? Whoa…" she mumbled. "Okay troops. You go that way, you can go over there, and I'm gonna walk here round in a circly square." She began walking in a circle.

"C'mon. We're going home," Roy grabbed her arm and dragged her away.

"Aye aye Mr. Krabs!" she screeched.

"First time I see her in half a month and she's even loopier than usual…" Edward grumbled. He sniffed angrily and sneezed. "I'm going back home…" he stomped off. A few seconds later there was a metallic _thunk_ sound and Christin's laughter resounded in the building. "You better call Winry and have her come down."

"What?" Alphonse stifled a chuckle. "Did your arm finally fall off?"

"Hey, what are you doing you brat?! Give that back!" the elder brother cried.

"No! Finders keeper's loser's weepers!" Christin chanted.

"That's my arm, woman; I need that!" he shouted. There was another _thunk_ sound. Alphonse stepped out into the hallway to see Christin laughing at Edward, who lay sprawled on the ground because his leg gave out as well. "Please call her soon." He whimpered to his brother.

A few days later Winry Rockbell arrived at Central train station. She carried a large suitcase with her. She scanned the throng of people milling about until she spotted Alphonse.

"You really are back. I never would've guessed." She said softly, hugging him. "Where's Edward; is he here?" she asked rather eagerly.

"He's incapacitated at our apartment. Did you bring the stuff?" he replied. She patted the suitcase. "Okay, our ride's outside. I still can't believe that girl drives that thing…" he muttered, leading the blond woman to where Christin had parked her bike. He couldn't help observing her more closely than he should have, considering his circumstances. Her hair was still clipped back kind of like Riza's hair, but it seemed longer and blonder, like she spent so much time in the sun her hair had been bleached. She looked older too, but he knew that inside she was probably the same girl he had grown up with.

Christin sat outside, leaning against her bike and head-banging in time to Papa Roach's 'Getting Away with Murder'. Alphonse walked out of the station, followed by a tall woman with pale blond hair and a very big suitcase. She instantly didn't like her – she looked too perky and optimistic, and Christin, being a pessimist, always found something bad about someone. Yes, even Alphonse had a bad point – he could be too gentle. After what was probably an introduction (she couldn't hear anything because she turned up the volume so any background noise was drowned out) she motioned for them to get on the bike and, once everyone was seated, sped off. She dropped them off at the apartment and spent a few minutes chatting with Kelsie.

"Hey, who owns this piece of crap?" someone called from the street. A boy who looked no older than eighteen with spiky brown hair pointed to Christin's bike.

"It's my piece of crap. What about it?" she snapped.

"How fast does it go?" he jeered.

"I dunno. How 'bout your shit-pile, huh? I could probably walk faster than that thing." She spat.

"Is that a challenge?" he asked.

"Are you man enough to accept it?" she retorted.

"Meet me on Main Street near military HQ in ten minutes. Don't be late." He said, revving his own motorcycle.

"Don't chicken out, douche bag." She hissed as he drove off.

"Christin, was that wise?" Kelsie asked. "What happens if you lose whatever challenge he poses?"

"I kick his ass and we'll go from there," she growled. "Tell them I won't be back any time soon, if at all. See ya." She drove off in a hurry. She took a shortcut through an alley and arrived well before her challenger. She bided her time, silently rocking out to her tunes when a group of squealing girls approached her.

"You're Christin Fallbrook, right?" one of them, a busty blond, asked. "The girl from the newspapers?"

"That's me. What can I do you for?" she asked. They squealed again.

"Can we have your autograph?" they chorused.

"We heard your songs on the radio and recognized you from the newspaper pictures. We're huge fans." Another, a brunette, said.

"Yeah, we love how you stood up to the big wigs in the military." A third added.

"Sure, why not." Christin grinned. She pulled out the pen she carried with her (she had a penchant for drawing on her body and clothes and pretty much any surface that would keep the ink on it) and scribbled her signature on the papers shoved in her face. More people crowded around her, a majority of them guys, and began asking for her autograph and pictures to be taken with her. Around seven minutes later the boy who challenged her and her bike drove up.

"Oh, you're that Fallbrook chick, aren't you?" he asked. "No wonder you looked kinda familiar. Don't think that because you're a celebrity I'm going to go easy on you."

"Just give me your name and what we're gonna do, bud." She snapped.

"I'm Josiah Gossner. We go around the block, pretty much. From Main Street, we turn right to Barker Street, keep going until we reach Kendleton Avenue; make another right on to Warbury Lane. First one back here wins." He said.

"Aight. What're we playing for? Bragging rights?" there were appropriate 'Ooh's' from the small audience. "Or something else?" she asked.

"We play for pinks." He noted. Christin nodded. "I win, I get your bike. You win, you get mine. Someone go up there and tell us when to start." He barked. Christin adjusted her headphones and moved her riding goggles from her forehead down over her eyes. She chose an appropriate song on her iPod ('Shut Up and Drive' by Rihanna) and waited. Several bystanders hurried off to spread news of the race between Christin Fallbrook and Josiah Gossner. The busty blond went up between the two riders and walked several paces in front of their bikes. She pulled a handkerchief out of her pocket and raised her arms above her head. She threw them down and the two were off.

It was a fair distance to Barker Street and they stayed at the same pace for a while before Josiah pulled ahead. On Kendleton Avenue, Christin pulled ahead. They were neck and neck on Warbury Lane and on to Main Street again. At the last second, Christin pulled ahead and won the race. Cheering fans crowded around her.

"I got beat by a girl," he muttered. "I don't believe it."

"You can keep your bike; I don't need it." Christin said.

"I don't need your sympathy!" he snapped.

"I'm not being sympathetic; I just don't need a second bike. Besides, what would I want with a piece of crap like that anyway?" she chuckled.

"You're alright, Christin Fallbrook." He said, extending his hand.

"Right back at ya," she chirped, taking it.

"Gah!" Edward cried, clamping his hand over his right ear, which was somewhat awkward because he was using his left arm and had to reach across his face.

"What?!" Winry cried, shocked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing..." he demurred, only to jolt again when his nerves were attached to the automail.

"By the way, who was the girl that drove us here, Al?" the blond mechanic asked.

"She's his girlfriend." Edward said in a sing-song voice.

"Brother!" Alphonse cried, blushing. "Yeah, she's my girlfriend." He added.

"Actually, she's the reason we were able to come back." Edward said.

"Does 'she' have a name?" Winry asked.

"Christin Fallbrook," Alphonse replied.

"No way," Winry gasped, dropping her wrench. "Christin Fallbrook, as in the girl from the big trial I read about in the newspaper? The one who made that white light and sings?"

"Yep." The brothers chorused.

"Oh my god, you're joking! That's so cool! I love her songs." She gushed.

"Hello, waiting to be fixed over here." Edward waved his hand in front of her face. The blond woman picked up her wrench and resumed working, this time attaching his leg. "Thanks," he sighed, standing up and flexing his limbs.

"How do you know her? She's so popular back home." She said. "They've even starting broadcasting her songs on local radio stations."

The boys shared a look and began explaining how they met. Winry was rapt with attention and hung on to every word spoken.

"Come back home soon, okay? We miss you," she said later than evening. She had boarded the train back to Resembool and the Elric's had gone to see her off. When her train was safely far away from the station, she released a sigh of relief. Edward was back, and that girl didn't seem to harbor any feelings for him, meaning she still might have a chance.

Christin paced her room endlessly. The party thing she was supposed to go to was tomorrow night. Riza had said that she would help her get ready (she was Roy's date) but that hardly did anything for her mood. She was just so nervous. She glanced at her dress, which hung from her closet door. Slowly, an idea was planted in her brain and grew. She had some shopping to do.

* * *

_A/N: okay, the laughing gas part was taken froma true story. i had to get some teeth pulled for my braces a few years back and the stupid dentist gave me laughing gas. i cracked up at anything and everything, even when nothing was happening. i was so freakin' high on that crap it was funny! okay, lame joke... zortt (sorry). expect more updates over the next week or so -- i have the entire week off for thanksgiving break and need stuf to do besides washing dishes and trying to make meatloaf for dinner._


	14. The Party and The Stain

14: The Party and the Stain

It wasn't very cold, but Christin, being the oddball that she so often is, was shivering.

"How can you be cold? It's nearly spring!" Roy exclaimed. They were standing outside, waiting to be admitted into the party. Christin was wrapped up in his jacket on top of the long overcoat she wore and twitching (she could suppress regular shivers, but they manifested as weird twitches) every so often. Riza, meanwhile, was standing there in her thin-strapped black dress and perfectly fine.

"I don' know; I just am!" she hissed, re-wrapping the jacket around her torso. The metal of the buckle she added to her single strap touched her skin and she twitched again. It was very cold metal. Because she was bored, she flashed back to that afternoon.

"What did you do to the dress?" Riza asked, holding up the new version.

"Oh, I added some 'me' to it. You like?" she replied. The dress now had a multitude of buckles on it. Three around the waist, one on the shoulder strap, several on each glove and a couple on the skirt. Christin had also added lots of long black ribbons and some metal studs here and there. "Me like. This city needs some punk-ness, if that's a word, added to it."

Riza eyed her skeptically. "Uh-huh."

"Trust me; it'll look better once the entire thing is put together. I even worked out a matching hairstyle and make-up." The young girl grinned. "c'mon, let's get pretty."

After taking a long bath, Christin sat down in front of a mirror to let Riza mess with her hair. She had tied it back because having wet hair hanging down her back really bothered her, but Riza unbound it and let the wet locks curl a bit around the girl's lower back.

"Okay, how did you plan this out?" the woman asked.

"Well, the top half is put into a ponytail and pinned out of the way. The part I trimmed around my face just stays the way it is. Now, the bottom part is, like, braided so when it's taken out it's all wavy and stuff. Then the top part is curled so it's all… curly and, like, ringlets. Y'know, it goes all 'shwoo' and stuff." She made a spiraling motion with her fingers. "Then! A black ribbon is tied around the ponytail-holder-hairband-thingie and a red rose is pinned in there with this hair comb thing I bought yesterday when I got the other stuff." She turned to look at Riza. "Did you get all that, or did I make it sound complicated?" she asked, biting her lip.

"I'll figure it out." She grinned.

"Well, I drew a picture of what it looks like in my head," she rifled through her desk and pulled out a piece of paper. "See? Like that." She tapped the pencil sketch.

"Oh. That's not so hard." Riza smiled.

"Yeah, I explain things weirdly, I know." Christin grinned wryly. "My make-up I can do myself because it's how I used to do it every day back in my world. So, what are you gonna do?"

"Nothing complex. I brought my dress over in case you had an idea of what to do, since you're so creative." She said, jerking her head to the black dress resting on Christin's bed. "Now sit still so I can get to work." She ordered. Several minutes later Christin's hair was drying and being pinned out of the way so she could work without it bugging her too much.

"Do you want help with anything?" she asked.

"Yes, could you help close me up?" Riza replied. Christin helped zip up Riza's dress. It was a close fitting black number that reminded Christin of the stuff she saw in old movies. Riza unclipped her blond hair and began brushing it.

"Geez, there's a lot of people with blond hair here." Christin mumbled. "I mean, there's you, Ed, Al, that girl I had to pick up yesterday, Russell, Fletcher, and half a zillion people at HQ. I'm seriously considering dying my hair blonder than it is just so I'll fit in."

"I think your hair is fine just the way it is, color-wise," Riza noted. Christin shrugged.

"It's not even my natural color. Heck, I don't even know what my natural color is anymore; I've dyed it so often: blond, brown, red, purple, black, blue, green, the list goes on and on." She babbled. "I think the only color it hasn't been yet is white."

"You're too young to worry about grey hair," Riza said. She pinned her hair up with a fancy clip and began applying her make-up. Christin wiggled into her dress.

"I'm stuck," she announced.

"There's a zipper on the left side, you know," Riza replied.

"Oh. Wow, I'm stupid." Christin hissed.

"You're not stupid, you're just scatterbrained." Riza corrected gently. She motioned for Christin to sit down so her hair could be finished. "There is a difference between the two."

"Yeah, and I'm both." She grumbled.

"Alright, if you say so,"

Meanwhile, Roy was sitting out in the living room, wondering what was taking them so long. Riza emerged first, wearing a killer black dress and looking like what Christin would refer to as a 'classic movie star' whatever that meant. A few moments passed before he recognized Christin, who (up until today) had never worn anything except pants and shirts and the occasional mini skirt.

"And now we're here," she mumbled.

"Who are you talking to?" Riza asked.

"Why, myself, of course. Don't you know that crazy people talk to themselves?" Christin replied. They were admitted in and she instantly felt awful. She had never really been one for public get-togethers and now she had been thrust into what she thought looked like someone's 'My Super Sweet Sixteen' party, complete with muzak and people in fancy clothing. She touched the belt lowest on her waist, checking to make sure her headphones were still there, just in case she needed her music. She plastered a grin on her face and hoped it'd keep. She was introduced to countless people, all of whom Roy said were state alchemists. She kept smiling and pretended to care, chatting a bit before being dragged to the next alchemist. Robin McLean was there, she noticed, and she made a point to stay away from him, especially since he was being so creepy tonight. Why was he staring at her like that? And why did he lick his lips in a very creeper-like manner every time he caught her eye?

Edward slouched against a random wall, away from the throngs of people. Alphonse had disappeared into the mob a while ago and he didn't feel like looking for him. He thought he saw Christin a couple times, but it didn't look like she was having any more fun that he was, since she had this humongous fake smile cemented to her face. He quickly dashed away any hopes of her noticing him, and he caught himself blushing. He looked out the window and stared blankly at the star-speckled sky for who knows how long.

"You're more of a space cadet than I am," Christin's voice broke into his blank thoughts. He jumped and turned around.

"What – who – how-how long have you been here?" he stuttered.

"Mmm, about a half hour," she grinned.

"What?" he asked.

"I've been standing here staring at you for almost thirty minutes, Ed." She mumbled.

"Right…" he said dryly. "So, it looks like you're having fun."

"Pfft. You know me better than that." She scoffed. "How many times have you seen me waltz up to a crowd and start mingling?"

Now that he thought about it, she had always hung back whenever crowds or large amounts of people were involved, especially people she didn't know. Her personality was the complete opposite of her attitude, if that was even possible. She sighed softly and leaned against the wall.

"I hate dealing with people I don't know. The only reason I've been mingling here is because Roy keeps introducing me to people." Edward had to really pay attention to her since she was talking so quietly. He had never heard her talk like this, even to Alphonse. Her voice was really soft and gentle, a total contrast to her snappy grumblings and half-assed complaints.

"Christin!" Roy called from somewhere. She cringed.

"What?" she snapped. The flame alchemist emerged from the crowd. For a moment she saw a thousand emotions flash through his eyes when he saw Edward, but he quickly covered it up: "There have been rumors spreading around HQ that you dance. People are requesting a demonstration."

"Now?" she asked. Roy nodded.

"Is that a problem?"

"Uhhh… one moment please!" she quipped, grabbing Edward's arm and dragging him a few feet away. "Will you dance with me?"

"Huh?" he replied.

"Oh please? Just one song, I promise!" she whined.

"No." he refused.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to. Besides, I can only dance to that one song you like with the guy screaming about broken hearts and stuff because you made me."

"There we go; one song. Oh c'mon Ed, please? Just this once?" she pleaded.

"Alright," he grumbled. She smiled and turned to go when he caught her wrist. "But _just_ that one song."

"Okay." She agreed. She glanced at him, scanning him top to bottom. "You look really nice tonight."

"Um. Thanks. You too." He said quickly. He followed her somewhat blindly to where music was playing. She talked to the person in charge for a few minutes and began fiddling with a machine Edward didn't bother to notice what it was. All at once the lights went out. There was a dull murmur from the crowd. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a small bit of that weird white light that was Christin's power transfer from her finger to the machine. She then grabbed his wrist and led him to the middle of the dance floor. People instantly moved out of the way, creating a large pocket of air and dancing room in the center.

"Just like we did before," she prompted. The intro of AFI's 'Kiss and Control' started and a blue light illuminated the two.

"Right…" he nodded, biting his lip. They had only danced to this song once several months ago. How on earth was he supposed to remember everything he did so it was 'just like before'? Half the moves they had made up as they went along! _Whatever…_ he thought. If he danced once, he could do it again.

It started out as a simple waltz, but as the song progressed into the first chorus, their motions became more intricate. Another surprising contrast to Christin's stocky build and terrible balance and coordination (she often walked into stationary objects and/or fell over) was that she was a graceful dancer. The way she gyrated her body made it seem as if she was liquid, following the tempo so well it was almost creepy, like she was a part of the music itself. Of course, Edward wasn't going to be outdone. Much to his surprise, he was able to recall every step from the previous dance, even the minute motions of his hands and feet. Christin smiled a little. He didn't look it, but he was a very good dancer. The song ended and they separated, cheered by the crowd. Christin glanced at him over her shoulder. He was walking away faster than normal. She sighed (panted really. The dance had been quite rigorous, moving quickly, leaping, twirling and whatnot. She was exhausted from it) and drifted off towards a balcony flanked by two large glass doors. She rested her arms on the cool marble railing, feeling the clammy stone through the silk of her gloves.

"That was a truly marvelous performance, my dear." The voice of Robin McLean sliced through the air like a knife through melting butter. Christin whirled around and glared; she really did not like this man. He was creepy and weird looking. He closed the glass doors behind him as he joined her on the balcony, standing not so close as to be uncomfortable, but still close enough to make her pointedly uneasy.

"What do you want?" she asked coolly, folding her arms across her chest.

"That glass… do you know what it is?" he asked.

"Uh, glass?" she replied crisply. "I'm not retarded." God, this guy was really annoying her!

"Its double-paned sound proof glass," he grinned. "Do you know what that means?" he stepped closer to her, making her back away until she bumped into the railing perpendicular to the one she had been resting her arms on.

"Huh?" she asked, fear creeping into her voice.

"It means no one will hear you scream," he uttered, placing his hands on either side of her and leaning in so close his lips brushed against her ear. Something pricked her right arm and a few moments later she lost all control of that limb. "I've injected you with a mild paralysis serum. The only cure is to let the effects wear off. You will be unable to move for quite some time."

"What?" she croaked. She felt her knees give out and she toppled forward into Robin's arms.

"Don't fret, darling; you loved this back when you still knew who I am," Robin cooed, stretching her out on the ground while running his hands down her body. All at once she knew what was going to happen… and that there wasn't anything she could do about it in her current state.

* * *

Time passed and Christin regained control of her body, though all she did was tremble and cry. Robin had left a while ago, but she swore she could still feel him groping her. She rubbed her eyes furiously, smearing black eyeliner and gold glitter across her face, resulting in her looking like a sparkly raccoon. Not that she cared. Her dress had been ruined when Robin tore at it and it was stained with blood. Its bitter taste still lingered on her tongue; she had bit it to keep from crying out and had punctured it. She heard the doors open and Riza's and Alphonse's voices reached her ears. She scooted further back into the corner between the wall and the railing. She began snotting and wiped her nose on her gloved arm.

"Christin, are you out here?" Riza called. She sniffled loudly in reply, making a half-hearted attempt at modesty. "Oh god… go get Roy, now!" she barked. Alphonse, who had merely stared, horror and anger flashing through his eyes, nodded and ran off. On his way he bumped into Edward.

"Where's Roy?" he asked.

"I think he's over there; why?" Edward replied, concerned by the odd expression his brother wore.

"… Something happened to Christin…" he replied darkly. "I don't want to talk about it." He glanced at the glass doors and Edward followed his gaze. Riza was crouched down on the ground and by the looks of it trying to either coax something out of the area behind the wall or calm something down. It was past midnight and people were leaving. He returned his attention to Alphonse and Roy. Alphonse was explaining something to him, and judging by Roy's reaction it wasn't something pleasant.

He numbly followed them to the balcony. On his way he saw Robin McLean smirk at him; he glared daggers at him in response. That guy was everywhere. And that was a fact that Edward found very displeasing.

* * *

_A/N: okay, so, in case you didn't get it, Christin was raped by Robin. This chapter actually has two ideas for separate chapters mushed into one: the dance to 'Kiss and Control' by Ed and Christin, and the rape. How will Ed react to Christin being raped? How will _AL _react? What will Christin do about it? Why am I asking all these questions? The answers will be revealed in later chapters, more or less. Certainly not in the next one (15) but maybe in the late teens to early twenties. Stay tuned to find out, and thanks to everyone who reads and especially to those who review. Also, on a small aside here, I really like this chapter._


	15. Stuff About Telephones

15: Stuff about Telephones and Other Machines

Two months had passed since the party. Christin had hardly left her room, let alone the house. She had almost stopped speaking entirely and avoided anyone who dropped by. Alphonse wasn't taking it very well either. He knew that what happened wasn't her fault, but he was still mad at her, though he wasn't sure why. He _shouldn't_ be mad at her, and yet he was. He was mad at Robin too (and he had a good reason to be). He was in a strange bad mood and went around sulking half the time, mostly when Edward wasn't around.

"Shouldn't you go talk to her? This might ruin your relationship if you just let it sit there." Kelsie had prompted.

"It happened to her; she should be the one to tell the story. It wouldn't be right of me to just go up to her and ask her about it," he had replied. He couldn't even bring himself to _think_ the word, so everyone referred to it as either 'it' or 'that', anything to avoid saying it by name. As much as he wanted to see her, he was also very scared.

The phone rang and Edward, who had just entered the room and was closest to it, answered: "Hello?"

"Ed?" Winry asked from the other end.

"Yeah. What's up?" he replied.

"Um, well there's a man here who wants to talk to you. He says he can help you with your problem." She said. "He also says to tell you that he's the chief of a tribe of people who know what to do about your problem."

"You better put him on," Edward sighed. What was this problem she kept mentioning?

"This is Edward Elric, yes?" a thickly accented male voice asked.

"Yeah, I'm Edward Elric. Who're you?" he asked back.

"My name is Chief Standing Bear. Now, you are the Edward Elric who knows the girl with the strange powers, yes? I believe her name is Christin Fallbrook."

"Yeah, what about her?" he prompted.

"I can tell you what she is, what she is capable of, and what you must do to save her, if you so desire. It will be a big problem if bad persons get their hands on her and her power." The chief warned. "You can bring her to Resembool, yes? I wish to speak to you both about what to do."

Edward glanced at his brother and friend; they had got the gist of it by picking up the extension in another room and were now returning to the main one. They both nodded.

"We'll be there by the end of the week," he said firmly.

Meanwhile, a series of strange events were unfolding as Christin spent more time avoiding others.

"So do you like being a telephone?" she asked.

"Well, like everything it has its ups and downs, but if I had to be completely honest, yes. I do rather like being a telephone." The machine replied. Christin had thought that she was going crazy at first, but it turns out that she was able to talk to technology, machines specifically. She also had learned that if she transferred a bit of her seemingly infinite power into the machine, she could generate a hologram of what it would look like if it was human. Right now she was talking to a girl with cotton candy blue hair and magenta eyes. Most kids talked on the phone; lately she had started talking **to** the phone. The hologram fuzzed a bit and she started talking. "Hello? ... It's for you."

"Yes?" Christin replied. She didn't need to pick up the receiver to talk on the phone anymore. Actually, she was able to control any machine just by sharing her powers with it.

"It's me, Ed. Look; uh… can you come over soon? There's something we need to talk to you about." Christin felt her heart skip quite a few beats when his voice echoed in the pretty much empty room.

"Uh…" she stalled.

"I swear it's nothing about…." He started off really quickly, and then trailed off into nothing. "It's about your powers." He finished in a hushed tone.

"Is now okay?" she asked, combing her fingers through her hair and draping it over her left shoulder before splitting her bangs over her left eye.

"Yeah. Now's fine." He replied.

"I'll be there in a few minutes. See ya," she snapped her fingers and the call ended. "Well, I guess I'll be back later." She shrugged, putting on a sweater as she headed for the front door.

"Christin wait, don't use your motorcycle," the phone warned.

"Why not?" she asked suspiciously.

"The military didn't give it to you for any reason; they're using it to track you."

"Humph. That does make sense. They are being way too nice to me. How'd you figure that out?" she asked.

"Machines emit sonic waves when they're used, special ones only other machines can sense. I'm sure if you practiced you'd learn to hear them too. Anyways, there are two kinds of waves: normal ones, similar to the frequency you hear from your hand sometimes, and bad ones that sound terrible and make an awful screeching sound. Take my advice and don't use your bike, at least until you get the tracking device removed. Another odd thing is I get the same awful sound from your arm." The phone replied.

"My arm?" Christin repeated, gawking at her seemingly normal right appendage. "Well that… makes perfect sense!" she cried. She dashed to the kitchen and grabbed a knife. "That jerk-off must've placed a tracking device in my arm when he jabbed me with that stupid syringe! Eww, that's so creepy… and it explains why he's been nearly everywhere I go!"

"Brilliant deduction," the phone's hologram drawled, sounding the slightest bit sarcastic.

"Waugh, god!! I have a stalker!!" she panicked. Instantly she calmed down and began lightly jabbing her arm with the knife. It hurt, but she didn't care. She had been hurt enough for one lifetime. After a few minutes of poking through skin and muscles, she felt the knife hit something hard. "Got it." She grumbled, twisting the knife so it went further into her skin and under the small device. She sucked in a deep breath and, since the knife was angled like a lever used to pry something open or apart, braced her arm against the table and slammed down really hard on the elevated handle. There was a nasty _squelch_ sound followed by a metallic _klink_.

"Eww," the phone commented. Blood oozed forth from the large gash in her skin and trickled from the smaller cut marks. She wrapped a bandana around the wound and stepped on the tracking device, lightly at first. Then she decided no, she'd wait a bit longer before she destroyed it. Something bad was going on and she seemed to be at the center of it.

* * *

"What if she somehow removes the device?" Finley asked worriedly. "We will not be able to control her, let alone know where she is."

"Don't be inane, Finley. It is technology from nearly 2000 years into the future. The nanobot has surely infected her heart by now – it was in her system long enough – meaning that even if the tracking device is removed we will still be able to control her power." Robin grumbled.

"Fret not, darling. You shall receive what is coming to you," Deceit mumbled softly from her perch outside the window of the room the two villains were working in. She vanished and reappeared in the hovel she and Envy were using as a base.

"What's happening?" the green haired Homunculus asked.

"Apparently my doppelganger has been infected with advanced technology that can give another control of that strange power of hers," she replied sweetly, sitting on his lap and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Are you planning to intervene?"

"Actually, I want to get in on that. I remember Father saying something about a human that is gifted with powers equal to a god's, where they can create, control, and destroy at will. It would be interesting to see how the country will react to such a power," Envy replied smoothly.

"Those men seem to be plotting something. I do wonder what it could be…" Deceit mumbled.

"Well, with the Ultimate Eye gone, the position for head of the country stands open. I wonder if that pyro freak will try to nab it; he seemed so determined to get to the top of the food chain," Envy sighed "Everything's so complicated lately. Why can't world domination be simple?"

"We could form an alliance with them. If you want, I could create a diversion or ruse of some sort…" she prompted, tucking a strand of silver hair behind her ear.

"You're not the Ultimate Lie for nothing. I'll leave you to it then." Envy grinned.

"Envy, dear, would you mind if I played with the man with hair the color of ashes a bit? He seems like such a fun toy," she asked.

"Just don't kill anyone unless I say so. We might be able to start another war if we play our cards right," the man smirked. Deceit giggled darkly; of the few things she remembered from her human life, the Ishbalan civil war stood out sharply from the others. It seemed like the kind of thing she could get involved in… or maybe even start.

* * *

"Why are you wearing a sweater? It's like seventy degrees out," Kelsie commented upon Christin's arrival. The girl shrugged out of her extra large sweater and waggled her right arm a bit.

"It hides the bloody bandana better than a T-shirt. Got any bandages?" she asked, poking the dried blood-stiffened fabric of the once blue accessory.

"How are you?" Alphonse asked gently. Christin turned and smiled.

"I'm fine," she chirped before she walked into the kitchen with Kelsie to properly dress the wound.

"She is not fine; she's way too chipper." Alphonse muttered partially to himself.

"It could be that she's trying to forget what happened," Edward mumbled. Alphonse cast him a confused look. "Think about it. It's not the kind of thing you just forget, but still want to because it hurts you enough. She's probably putting on a cheerful front as a way to convince herself that she'll be okay."

"Do you think she'll be okay?" Alphonse asked warily.

Edward shrugged: "Hard to say. All we can do right now is stick by her side and help her get through it."

"But the equivalent exchange… she'd end up owing us." Alphonse protested.

"Equivalent exchange nothing. I'm doing this because I like her," he grinned.

"Right." Alphonse agreed, grinning back.

"So what'd you want?" Christin asked, popping her head into the room.

"Stay still; you'll make it start bleeding again!" Kelsie snapped.

"What happened?" Alphonse asked, eyeing her arm suspiciously. She fumbled around her pants pocket for a few seconds before pulling out a small blood stained metal object.

"That happened," she said, pointing at it. "Turns out those poop muffins want to keep an eye on me. They implanted a tracking device in my arm. I got it out before I came over."

"How'd you know it was inside you?" Kelsie asked.

"The phone told me," Christin replied. She got three blank stares in return. "Oh yeah, I didn't tell you about this stuff yet, huh? Okies spinokies, well, I discovered a new power of sorts. I can talk to machines."

"Yeah, and pigs fly," Edward scoffed. She glared at him. "Prove it." He prompted.

"Alrighty then!" she said, walking over to their phone. She pressed two fingers to her lips and drew out a thin wisp of white light. She then moved her hand over the phone and the light seeped into the machine. Two seconds later a hologram of a guy with lime green hair and ski goggles shimmered into view.

"Man it feels good to stand up! All I do all freakin' day is sit there and listen to people talk," the hologram grumbled.

"Well, you are a phone; it's your job." Christin stated.

"You make an excellent point there. Thanks for letting me out,"

"Okay, did anyone else see a man materialize out of nowhere?" Kelsie asked shakily. Edward and Alphonse nodded.

"I wanna go back in. It's cold out here." Christin put the phone's personality back into the machine.

"That's not all I can do; watch this." She waved her hand in front of her and a white screen materialized. Figures danced across it. "I can replay any memory on a funky little screen. This is a scene from a Youtube video I saw a couple times back in my world."

"What's Youtube?" Edward asked.

"Youtube is Youtube. Don't you ever go on the internet?" Christin asked.

"What's internet?" Alphonse inquired.

"What's internet?" she repeated. "How can you not know what internet is—oh yeah, you don't have it here. I don't think you even have computers yet. Sorry, I forgot." She apologized. "Anywhozit, what'd you want? We keep going off into small asides, so you better tell me what you want-slash-need before I forget why I came over in the first place."

"Okay…" came the collective reply.

"Well, Winry called earlier to tell us that there's this guy who's some sort of chief or something and knows about your powers and stuff," Kelsie summed up.

"He wants us to go to Resembool to talk and stuff. Do you think you can come?" Edward added.

"I don't see any reason not to, but if he's another jerk-off like you-know-who, I'm going to kill him," she growled, making a claw with her hand. The other three shared a skeptical look. "No, really. I'll kill him." She insisted.

"Right…" they agreed.

"So how soon do we have to leave?" she asked, stuffing her hands into her sweater pockets.

"Brother said we'd be there at the end of the week," Alphonse said, looking at 'Brother'.

"Tomorrow afternoon. It'll take a few days to get to Resembool, so I'm figuring the noon train would be best." Edward sighed.

"Ooh, can we convene at my place?" Christin asked.

"Why?" everyone asked.

"Well, for one thing it's closer to the station. Two, I just really wanted to use that word. Mrs. Hodson would be so proud; bonus vocab!" she chirped, mentioning her English teacher from junior year.

"I still have no idea what she's talking about," Edward whispered to his brother.

"Honestly, neither do I," Alphonse replied.

* * *

_A/N: okay, there's chap. 15. For some reason that seemed really short. Whatever…Alrighty then, I'm starting a couple new stories, but I'm only gonna post a chapter or two to see if people will like them. One is a diary of a new state alchemist's journey through the antics of the FMA military personnel. The other and the one I really want to continue whether people like it or not, is a FMA / Elemental Gelade crossover. Both, like all my stories, are OC romances/comedies. Actually, I don't really know if this one's funny or not… I crack up quite a bit while writing some parts (the laughing gas bit in chapter 13 nearly sent me to the floor) but that could be me being weird… either way, I need you, my beloved readers, to take my poll on which Elric brother you want Christin to end up with permanently. It will stay open for quite a while, so go cast your vote!_


	16. Capricorn Run Away

16: Capricorn – Run Away

Christin wandered off in the direction of hr home when Kelsie stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"You know you're not fooling anyone. In all the time I've known you I've never seen you that happy, even on a good day," she stated.

"So what? It's easier for me this way. If I avoid it, I don't think about it. If I think about if, I feel awful," Christin replied.

"Awful? Awful how?" Kelsie pressed gently. Christin needed to talk about it; everyone could see that it was destroying her. The bandages wrapping up her arms and legs proved that much.

"I feel dirty. I've been stained. I lost nearly everything that first time I Jumped, but I still had my innocence… now that's been ruined too! I have nothing anymore!!" she cried, ripping her arm out of Kelsie's grasp. "Everything around me gets ruined, whether I plan on it or not; you should just leave me alone!!" she turned and sprinted the rest of the way home, collapsing against the door of her bedroom. Her chest hurt insanely and she could hear her heart pounding in her head. Again, that horrible screeching sound drowned out any noise. She clamped her hands to her head and bit her lip to keep from crying. All she wanted to do lately was curl up into a ball and cry. Going to her friend's place was a mistake. The screeching intensified and she let herself fall unconscious.

About an hour later, she woke up. Her neck was stiff from lying on the floor in a weird position and her head throbbed dully. The phone's ringing sent a sharp pain through her head. She tugged on the cord and the entire thing fell off the table (she had her own extension in her room) and she picked up the receiver.

"Hello?" she mumbled.

"Christin? It's Finley. I'm sorry to bother you, but we need you to come down for another test," Finley's voice crackled a bit from the other line.

Christin pondered this a bit and, what she thought was, a brilliant idea popped into her aching brain: "That's perfectly fine, Finley. I'll be right over." A grin slid across her face. They had been _so kind_ to her; she was going to give them all what they deserved.

It was four thirty when she arrived at HQ. It was also a Saturday, so not as many people were around as on, say, a Tuesday. The occasional officer who passed by her as she strode through the halls with more confidence than ever smiled and waved. She returned the gesture to these people; they were actually nice to her. They would chat with her and at least pretend to know what she was talking about. One thing she missed from her old world so much it almost hurt was her old friends. She had been able o laugh and smile and they would get the stupid things she said because they said stuff that was equally stupid and hey all ad a wonderful time together.

_**Just when I find a place I can belong, I get that taken from me too**_**. **She thought bitterly. She slowed down as all those repressed memories flooded back. She quickly shook her head and grit her teeth; she was here on business today. Very important business that would kill her if she didn't get it done. She all but kicked the door open of that stupid lab where she was the experimental rat. Finley sat in his swivel chair in front of several monitors and the glass window. He gave her a small, quick smile when she entered. She returned this gesture too. He wouldn't be half bad if he wasn't working with _that guy_.

"I trust I don't need to tell you what to do by now, unless your memory got erased."

Christin waved dismissively and opened the door that lead to the stairwell that led to the room she often occupied when these ridiculous tests were being run. She didn't bother attaching the monitoring devices, since they practically flew at her and attached themselves. As a quick after-thought, she snapped her fingers and muttered something.

Edward was half asleep on the couch when something buzzed in his ears. He groaned and pressed a pillow to his face.

"Wakie, wakie, Blondie. I got something to tell you," Christin's voice echoed in his head. He sighed; he was probably hearing things again. He _had_ been thinking about her an awful lot since that night, so much so that he had started hearing her voice on occasion.

"Go 'way," he mumbled.

"Nope, no can do, midget." She had learned of his weakness from hanging around HQ quite a bit. He shot up, sending the pillow flying across the room and landing near Alphonse's feet.

"You're one to talk; I'm taller than you," he snapped.

"Two inches, big freaking deal. I want you to watch this," she said as a small white screen materialized in front of him. "I might need to be picked up afterwards."

An image flickered onto the screen. Christin stood in a large room with several big machines hooked up to her. Alphonse and Kelsie wandered over to watch too. Edward recognized the opening music to 'Capricorn (A Brand New Name)' by 30 Seconds to Mars (he actually found himself memorizing some lyrics to about half a dozen songs and he hated her for that) and could've sworn he saw her power build up as the music grew louder. But… something was different this time. It wasn't just for show; this time she had a purpose for manifesting her powers… and he was slightly scared to now that. She could be extremely volatile and downright barbaric when angry. He absently recalled the time he had woken her up and she had nearly killed him because she didn't fall asleep until after midnight and told of how that had happened once before when a friend wouldn't let her sleep. Let sleeping dogs lie, and leave Christin ALONE. He learned that that day. Today, he would learn to never, ever, EVER do what the people at HQ were doing to her.

White power vibrated around her and swirled dangerously in the air, creating a small whirlwind that made her clothes flap madly and her hair fly out in all directions, as she belted lyrics to the song, her song. He watched closely, but saw nothing of particularly great interest until Kelsie screeched: "She's destroying the lab!!"

Indeed, the white ribbons of light had exploded from her body, while another set maintained rings around her that spun so quickly it was dizzying just watching. The ribbons had filled the room and only now did he see that they were slicing into the machines, leaving gnarly gashes and sparks flying everywhere. Eventually, she lifted off the ground and clutched her head, screaming lyrics for all she was worth. Her body convulsed and more light-ribbons exploded, this time shattering the walls and the large pane of glass. She was out to demolish half the building!! The song faded and with the last line 'I will disappear' she vanished, only to materialize a few seconds later in front of them. She landed hard on the floor and the screen fizzled out. She blinked for a few seconds, completely dazed and clueless about where she had landed. Then she promptly passed out.

"Uhhh…" was all Edward could say. Kelsie just stared.

"That idiot," Alphonse growled. Edward snapped out of his mini-stupor. Maybe he as just being weird, but he had noticed that Alphonse wasn't always so… gentle when Christin was around. It looked like her snarky attitude was contagious; he caught Alphonse swearing the other day and he had never known his brother to use such colorful language.

"Al, what--" Edward started.

"Don't 'what' me!" he snapped, shooting a glare at his brother. "They're going to come after her even more now because of what she did! They'll probably lock her up for good this time!" Edward blinked, completely stunned by his brother's outburst.

"You're right. We should go now, before trouble starts," he agreed. He heard Christin stir, which was odd. After using her powers like that, it usually took a day for her to recover. But right now she was sitting up and raking a hand through her hair. She stopped and looked up at them.

"Nani? Anata ha onnanokono maeni kanojixyono kamiwonaosumi ta koto ga nai no daro u ka?*" she asked in Japanese, casting a quizzical look at them.

"What?" came a reply. The only Japanese any of them heard her speak was a couple songs. Now she was speaking in what sounded like complete sentences.

"Nani?" she demanded, standing up and placing her fists on her hips. She babbled and sighed. They obviously didn't understand her though she understood them perfectly. That didn't make sense—she was speaking perfect English. She asked what was wrong again.

"English! Use English!" Edward growled, flapping his arms. She told him she was talking like always and got an exasperated sigh in return. "Okay, look, just… don't talk. Can you do that? At least until we can get out of here."

"Hai," she replied, nodding for emphasis. The group left Central that night, in case people were looking for her.

"You're more trouble than you look, you know that?" Edward grumbled as they walked down a random alley leading to the edge of the city.

"Gomen nasai," she replied meekly. Kelsie snapped and smacked the back of her head.

"Stop talking in Japanese! We can't understand you!" she barked. She heard a faint whirring sound before Christin replied.

"I'm talking like I always do. You're just being paranoid," she retorted.

Alphonse plodded along behind them. Something was slightly off… Christin was acting less like a person and more like a… well, like a machine. Funny, since she looked as normal as any other girl he saw. True, she talked a little funky, but that was because of how she was raised, he supposed. She also came from another world, but didn't pass through the Gate like Eckheart did when she tried to take over their world. And her power… it certainly wasn't alchemy. There was no equivalent exchange, at least none that he could see, and she didn't transmute anything, so it probably was not alchemy. Whatever it was, it was giving him a headache. Actually, if he thought about her too much (in the sense of trying to understand her) he got headaches. The group caught a ride with a traveling performing troupe. Edward bargained that in exchange for riding with them for a while, they would help out.

"So, what exactly do you guys do?" he asked later that night.

"Anything, really, from theatre performances to entertaining at festivals. The people here all have a wide variety of talents, so we can do almost anything," the leader, Conan, replied. He motioned for Alphonse to join him in the front of his wagon, since it was easier to talk that way. "My son's quite a prodigy himself."

"Your son?" Christin repeated, looking up from the three pieces of hay she was braiding. Conan nodded.

"Really, I'm surprised you don't remember me," a boy around her age said as he leaned over the edge of the wagon next to them.

"I don't…" she replied, taking in the spiky brown hair and half-moon glasses. He removed the spectacles and smirked. "Josiah!!" she cried, pointing at him.

"The one and only," he grinned.

"Oh, Josie, is this the girl who beat you in the race you told me about?" Conan asked.

"Don't call me that!!" Josiah barked through a blush.

"Your nickname's Josie?" Edward snickered.

"Be nice," Christin scolded, swatting him. "I didn't know you were a performer."

"I play guitar, specifically. Actually, the whole group's pretty well known in the east. Particularly up in Resembool," he noted.

"So where're you fugitives headed?" Conan interrupted.

"I dunno… hey Ed, where are we going this time?" Christin asked, prodding him in the ribs with her boot.

"God, will you leave me alone?! I'm trying to sleep!!" he fumed, glaring at her.

"We're going to Resembool," Alphonse answered. "It's our hometown and Christin's got a meeting with someone there."

Christin tuned out the idle banter and watched the caravan of wagons. Two held people and another two were loaded with stuff wrapped in cloth and sealed up in boxes. The sun had set forever ago and now the sky was the star-studded bluish-black she adored so much, with the moon just rising over the tops of the buildings in the city. Surely they were looking for her now. No one just demolishes half a building and gets away with it. At the time, she just wanted revenge. Looking back now it was probably the most stupid thing she could've done. She groaned softly and buried her head in the hay, nearly gagging on its warm scent. Before she knew it, she had dozed off.

Alphonse awoke to a soft moaning. He turned slowly so as not to aggravate his stiff muscles and crawled into the bed of the wagon with his friends and brother. Christin was the one making the noise and judging by the look on her face she was having a nightmare. Her normally calm features were twisted in pain and she was starting to claw at the air. He reached out a hand to wake her, but paused. Would she be okay with him touching her? It was true that she never really liked to be touched in general, but after what happened he was starting to have second thoughts. She made a ragged gasp and her eyes flew open. She lay there trembling for a few minutes before wiping tears from her face and sitting up.

"Al?" she asked uncertainly, obviously still half-asleep. He nodded gently.

"Are you okay?" he asked softly. She shook her head. "Do you wanna talk about it?"

"I was dreaming… about us… you, me, Ed, Kelsie, everyone. We were all happy and everything was okay until… until _he_ came. He was… giving me orders and I tried to disobey, but I couldn't. There was a girl with him. She looked like me, but she wasn't me. She had weird silver hair and a tattoo on her forehead. Then you… you went with her and you forgot about me. You turned evil and then everything fell apart and I … I hurt people. I killed them, because you told me to. You weren't _you_ anymore, like you had been seduced by something evil and then chose to worship it. Then, you came back and were yourself again, but… you died… because of me…" she finished so softly he almost missed it. "Then you came back to life because this old guy resurrected you, but _he_ came back and this time both you and Ed were killed. I resurrected you both, but then I almost died and _he_ took me away on the pretense that he would leave you alone."

"That's the kind of things you dream about?" he chuckled. "Death and resurrection?"

"But it wasn't just death and dying, it was you who died, Al, twice I watched you die. It was horrible and it felt so real…" she brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them. "I'm scared, Al. I don't know what's happening to me and you're all getting involved and it scares me," she admitted. "I don't want you to die."

She reached out to place her hand over his and the moment her skin met his he flinched reflexively because her hands were ice cold. He looked up at her and knew that she had interpreted it wrong.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know that I'd become so dirty that you wouldn't want to be touched by me," she apologized monotonously. "I won't touch you again."

"No, Christin, it's not that!" Al protested.

"If you don't want me anymore, I understand. How can you maintain a relationship with a girl whose mere touch makes you flinch?"

"I told you, it's not that! Your hands are cold is all!" he repeated.

"It's because of _that_, isn't it? I've been stained and you don't want me anymore because I'm not pure or sacred anymore," her voice was verging on hysterical.

"I told you, Christin, it's not that!" he snapped, hugging her from behind. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist and then pressed her body into his. "If anything, it makes me want you more. You don't have to fake being strong all the time. You try not to be a burden to others and end up alienating yourself from them. It's okay to be vulnerable, to be protected. Christin, please," he begged. "Let me protect you." Something wet dripped on his bare arm and she sniffed.

"Then…" she started, her voice breaking a bit. "…help me erase it."

"What?" he asked. She broke from his grip and turned on him.

"You said you want me… so why not take me?" her voice broke again.

"W-what? Now? N-no way, I can't do that here!" he stuttered.

"Then your words are nothing but a hollow promise," she concluded. "Why bother protecting what is not yours? Wouldn't all you have worked for be in vain? What then is the point of trying to protect me?"

"You're not making any sense," Alphonse sighed. Christin turned away but he caught her wrist and pulled her closer to him, closing the distance between them with a kiss. He felt her body tense up, but didn't pull away. This was what she wanted, and on some level he wanted it too. He started leaning her back when she pushed him away.

"I'm sorry. I can't…" she whispered. "I need to get over it before I can move forward. I'm sorry."

"That's okay. I understand," Alphonse smiled. "I'll wait."

"Aw, how cute," Deceit cooed. She had been following them since they left town, using her special powers to turn invisible so she could spy without being caught. "It makes me want to barf," she spat.

She swiftly and silently leaped up to the edge of the wagon bed and rested her elbows on the edge.

"He's cute, doppelganger. I think I found the trigger for our mini Ishbal," she grinned darkly, swinging her legs over the side and walking over to Alphonse. "Oh yes, you'll do just fine. Time to make that dream I sent you come true," she glanced over at the now sleeping Christin then returned her attention to Alphonse.

She crouched down and straddled him, leaning over his face. Her silver hair fell over her shoulders, creating a silver screen enclosing the two. Alphonse was asleep as well and snoring softly. His mouth was open a tiny bit and Deceit quickly began closing the gap.

"Soon, you'll be so attuned to me you'll forget all about her. _**Become my slave, Alphonse Elric.**_" She commanded gently as she kissed him. She transferred a bit of her own powers, strikingly similar to Christin's only it was black ribbons instead of white, into his body, making sure it wrapped around his heart. Given time, it would infect him and she would be the only thing on his mind.

"Yes…" he mumbled, kissing her back. In his dream, something changed. For as long as he could remember, he had dreamt of Christin. Now there was another girl in her place, with gorgeous silver hair and a red strip of fabric across her forehead. Deceit giggled as darkly as she grinned. This might be easier than she thought.

_A/N: I bet you're all wondering what Christin was saying when she was speaking in Japanese. *The first line, the really long one, translated means 'what? You've never seen a girl fix her hair before?' 'Hai' means 'yes', 'nani' means 'what' and 'gomen nasai' means 'I'm sorry'. What is Deceit planning to do to Alphonse? Quick aside here, I bet you all were wondering what was going to happen to Al and Christin's relationship. Let's see what Deceit has in store for them. What is happening to Christin? Where does Edward stand in this messy love… mess, and what are his feelings for our quirky heroine?? More drama in the next chapter!!_


	17. Edward's Thoughts

17: Edward's Thoughts

Two days had passed since they left Central. Kelsie was working as a manager for The Flying Nomads (yes, that is the troupe's name), Edward and Alphonse were employed as stock boys who helped unload everything, set it up, then take it down and pack it up so they could move on and Christin had been grudgingly suckered into being a performer.

"You've got to be kidding!" she cried. "I'm not wearing that!"

"Oh, come on!" Josiah trailed after her as she stomped around the temporary camp the troupe had set up. They were doing an impromptu performance tonight for a small village and she was going to be in the opening dance. She had been feeling rather sublime lately, but that had changed the moment Josiah had shown her the costume she was supposed to wear tonight.

"What's up?" Edward asked as she stormed past him. She turned around and glared. He set down his load and straightened up.

"That," she said, pointing to Josiah, who was still pursuing her. A bundle of fabric was cradled in his arm.

"It's Josiah. That never bothered you before," he said, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"She doesn't want to wear the outfit the dancers are supposed to wear tonight!" Josiah whined. He held up the fabric so the outfit could be clearly seen. It looked like someone had cut up a dress and added some glitz to it. The part that would cover her breasts and nothing more was bright blue and attached to what Edward guessed was a skirt by white ribbons. The supposed skirt was light blue, with a large split going up the right side.

"Are you nuts?! I've seen bathing suits that were less skimpy!" she flushed brilliant crimson.

"Go try it on," Edward suggested.

"What?" she whirled on him. "No!"

"Come on, it looks fine to me," he offered.

"You're a guy! Anything skimpy would look fine to you!" she exploded. "If you like it so much, you go try it on!"

"Yeah, I don't have the figure for that," he laughed, picking up his work where he left off. "It's just one night, you'll be fine!"

"Why you… you… you man!!" she cried.

"Are you stupid? 'You man'? That's not even an insult!" Edward retorted.

"If all men are like you, then it is an insult!" she snapped, snatching the outfit out of Josiah's hands and storming off.

"Please master, teach me the secret to taming the beast!" Josiah pleaded as he caught up with Edward. "Seriously, how'd you get her to do that? Everything I've tried failed."

"Well, if you piss her off enough, she'll do it. She's pretty gullible sometimes, so if you word something correctly, you'll be able to get her to do nearly anything," Edward replied. "Underneath that attitude of hers, she's actually really docile. It took me a few months before I could maintain a normal conversation with her. If you keep at it, I'm sure she'll give in eventually."

"Satisfied?" Christin's demanding voice cut through the chit-chat. Both guys turned to look at her. She stood with one arm folded across her middle while the other arm hung down by her side. The fabric of the skirt was bunched up in her hand.

"Not yet. Move your arms," Josiah ordered. Christin blushed again, but obliged, hoping it would spare her another argument with Edward. She also turned slowly, giving them a full view of the outfit.

"Are you gay, by any chance?" she asked.

"Nope," both replied in unison.

"Shit…" she cursed.

"If only Al could see you…" Josiah sighed.

"I fail to see how he's related," Christin muttered.

"Oh come on! You're a total knock-out!" Josiah praised, gesturing at her. "I bet that if he saw you now, he'd totally get turned on."

"I hope you die," Christin snarled, kicking him in the stomach. Edward stifled a snicker. "Don't even think about it." She enunciated, pointing at him threateningly. He tried again, but failed. "A world of pain!!" she hissed before stalking away.

"Where is Al, come to think of it?" Edward asked, looking down at Josiah, a stupid grin at his misfortune plastered on his face.

"I don't know," Josiah squeaked. "I h-haven't seen him since breakfast… man, she's strong!"

"Sorry," Edward grinned. Josiah grabbed onto his pant leg as he started walking off.

"Would you get me some ice and a new stomach?" he croaked.

* * *

Alphonse was actually a fair distance away from the camp. He had had another dream about that girl with the silver hair and it was driving him slightly nuts. She was Christin, and yet she _wasn't_. Perhaps it was only her looks that were similar to Christin's, though Christin clearly did not have silver hair, nor did she wear a red headband on her forehead. He sighed and rammed his head into the nearest tree. He repeated the action a couple times. Why was he thinking of that girl? She probably didn't even exist, whereas Christin _did_.

"Are you thinking about me?" came a voice so sweet he almost choked. He whirled around and there she was. The girl from his dreams, literally. Her silver hair glittered in the sunlight in a very enchanting way and her eyes sparkled. Alphonse felt his breath hitch in his throat. What was this overwhelming feeling… this urge, no… desire to please her? She slowly approached him and he backed up into the tree.

"Y-yeah…" he replied.

"I knew it," she grinned, further closing the distance between them. She scanned him up and down. "Is something wrong?" she asked sweetly. "…you look concerned."

"Your name," Alphonse replied. "I want to know your name."

"My name is Didi von Lohengrin…" She smiled. "And I want you to be mine."

"Yes… anything you want…" Alphonse droned as Deceit kissed him.

After a while, he was completely winded. Deceit chuckled and crouched down on her knees. "Oh my. So tired after only a kiss? It almost makes me want to go all the way, just to see your reaction," Deceit cooed. She perked at the sound of Edward calling for his brother, then stood up and turned to leave. Alphonse grabbed the hem of her knee-length skirt.

"Will I see you again?" he asked almost desperately.

"Of course," she smiled. Alphonse blinked and she was gone. He stood up, fixed his shirt, which had been twisted weirdly around his torso during the kiss, and followed the sound of his brother's voice.

"I was starting to think you'd run off," Edward smirked when Alphonse appeared. He chuckled a bit breathily and shook his head.

"If I ran off, I wouldn't get very far, brother." He scratched the back of his head. "Did you need something?"

"Yeah, actually. Conan needs you for something, so you better get moving before you piss him off or something," Edward said, pointing back at the camp.

"Geez, you make it sound like he's Christin or something," Alphonse muttered before scurrying off.

* * *

"Something seems different about him…" Christin mused later that evening. She had reluctantly donned her costume again since it was really hot for her in pants and a shirt and was now chatting to Edward, on the account that Alphonse was sitting by a campfire staring off into space. Now that she thought about it, now would be a perfect time to bug him about his past.

"Really? He looks normal to me," Edward replied, folding his arms against his chest. It was a very warm evening and he had shed his jacket and now stood about in his usual tank top. "What are you staring at?"

"Your arm… it's different. How come you don't have that fake skin on anymore?" she asked, pointing at the metal limb.

"Oh, remember when you were high off laughing gas and my limbs…uh… fell off? The girl you picked up from the station, Winry, is my automail mechanic and she replaced 'em." He replied, glancing down at his arm.

"Automail?" Christin repeated. "You're gonna have to explain that to me."

"It's just a fancy name for prosthetic limbs," he replied. He watched her study his arm for a bit. Then, something odd happened. When she held his arm to examine it, he felt her touch. He actually felt her cold fingers trace the edges of the metal plating.

"Cool," she concluded, dropping his arm. He grabbed it with his left hand, but the only thing he felt was the cold metal against his human hand. He then fixed his gaze on Christin, who was bopping her head up and down to some tune only she could hear. He now knew what the strange feelings he had been experiencing were, despite the fact that he had decided to NOT be attracted to her.

"Umm… Christin?" he started, blushing a bit.

"Yes?" she replied, looking at him.

"Uh… how much do you like Al?" he asked. Gah, why did he ask that? That wasn't hat he wanted to say!

"Well, this is sudden. I like him a lot. He's really sweet and nice and… I like him a lot. It's like this…all my life people have given me certain expectations to live up to. They'd be all friendly and nice until I failed to meet the expectations, then they turn sour and call me worthless and a failure and other crap. But Alphonse is kind. Sure he might have some expectations, but he doesn't get mad at me if I don't meet them," she explained "He's perfectly fine with me being the way I am."

"I… heard you talking the other night," Edward admitted, turning his face away. "He's right, you know. You don't always have to act so strong when you're hurting that much inside. Keep it up and you'll really hurt yourself."

"Okay, who are you and what did you do with the Ed I knew?" she asked. "…how much did you hear?"

"Well, I was half asleep so I'm not sure if everything's correct, but I think I remember you freaking out about… you know… and him saying he wanted to protect you then you said that it would all be in vain since you weren't 'his' and then you offered yourself to him. I fell asleep after that," he recited.

"Nothing happened!" she burst. "I wanted to get rid of that awful feeling but I just couldn't!"

"Feeling? What are you talking about?" Edward questioned.

"I can still feel him touching me… I can still feel him inside me… it hurts!" she cried "I can't get rid of that feeling and it's driving me insane! I still cry myself to sleep at night and even then it torments me!" she angrily rubbed at her face and Edward saw that she had started crying. "I tried getting over it and I thought I was better but I'm not!" then she broke down crying, tears streaming in salty cascades down her pale cheeks.

* * *

"I thought you were going to play with your former lover, not Fullmetal pipsqueak's brother," Envy said when Deceit returned.

"I thought it would be more interesting this way. Take what she cherishes and turn it against her. It'll set her emotions out of control, leaving those scheming jerks more able to control her power, whatever they mean by that," Deceit replied, flipping her hair over her shoulder. "Are you jealous?" she asked coyly.

"Don't be ridiculous," he snapped, turning away. She danced over to him and placed her hands on his face, standing up on her toes so she could speak in his ear.

"Don't lie, Envy, especially to me. The repercussions could be greater than you know," she warned. She angled her head to lick the side of his face, something she knew he enjoyed. It wasn't much, just a flick with the tip of her tongue, but it was stimulating all the same, and when he turned around to face her, she had vanished.

"I'm not really sure what's truth and what a lie around her is anymore," he said to the muggy air. It was nearly summer and that made the days longer and quite a bit warmer. He ground his teeth together and cursed the setting sun.

* * *

"That bitch…" Robin muttered. Finley had been hospitalized because of Christin's attack and from the looks of it he would need to have his arm and leg amputated. Part of the roof had fallen on him, so it was to be expected that he would not escape with minor cuts and bruises.

"Your princess is quite powerful," Deceit cooed from the doorway. Of course she had generated an image to mask her true identity. If her toy knew that she was in fact the Aislinn he was so obsessed with and not the Fallbrook girl, her plan would not go as well. Really all she did was use her power to make her face and voice different so she would not be recognized as the fallen Aislinn. It was nothing big on her part, deception was all pert of her game, hence her name.

"Who are you?" Robin demanded.

"My name is Didi von Lohengrin, and I've come to propose a partnership. You are concerned about your princess, are you not?" she prompted. Behind her back, she generated a small bit of her black power and sent it directly into Robin's brain. It would let her… influence… affect him. Soon enough he would become her puppet just like the younger Elric brother.

"My… princess?" he asked rather dumbly.

"Yes. Aislinn is your princess, correct? She died and you saved her by transmuting her, but she does not seem to remember you," Deceit stated.

"You're right… she owes me her life…" Robin mused.

"If you are willing to accept, I am offering to help you… in any way possible," she grinned seductively.

"I am more than willing…. Anything to get my princess back," Robin grinned.

* * *

"I so do _not_ feel congenial…" Christin mumbled. She had cried for five minutes straight, a world record on her part, and was now very tired. "The rape is the bane of my existence…"

"Feel better?" Edward asked. He had sat by her and held her hand while she cried, mostly because Alphonse was missing again and he didn't want to leave her alone.

"Yeah, actually," she sniffed. "Thanks."

After a few minutes of silence, Edward glanced over at her and found her staring again. "What are you staring at now?!"

"Your pants… are they leather by any chance?" she asked.

"Yeah, why?" he replied cautiously.

"You're wearing love pants!" she exclaimed loudly. Edward blushed. he heard several people laugh in the distance.

"I really don't want to ask what you're talking about now…" he groaned.

"It's something my friends and I got from a T.V. show. 'Kay, so there's this guy and a girl and they're talking, see, and I forget what they're talking about but… I think it was the girl who said this, but someone was talking about someone's boyfriend or girlfriend and they mentioned the 'L' word, and the guy was all 'Leather?' and she was all 'No, love.' That's where I got it… at least, I think it is. I really don't remember anymore, it's been so long," she clarified. "So you're wearing love pants."

"Right…" he mumbled. "Picking up where we left off… so, you just like Al?"

"Why, is there something wrong with that?" she asked. "I'm going to fix your hair, by the way; it's coming out of the braid and it's really irritating me." She added. She picked up the braid and removed the band, letting his long blond tresses fall in slight waves around his shoulders.

"You don't… love him?" he asked.

"I guess. I dunno," she answered.

"Make up your mind," he grumbled.

"I think I might be, but I'm not sure. I mean…" here Christin sighed. "I don't know. There are different kinds of love, you know? Like for family there's 'family love' and for your friends there's 'friend love' and for, say, a child's favorite toy, there's 'favorite love'. Then there's 'true love' but I'm not sure exactly where he falls. So if you want me to answer honestly, you'll have to specify which 'love' you're talking about," she began combing his hair with her fingers.

"True, I guess…" he sighed. He really liked feeling her icy fingers against his skin. He really wanted to just close his eyes and let her play with his hair, but he couldn't. Any other time, maybe, but not now; there was something he needed to know.

"Truly, I think I might, but there's no way to know for sure," she hummed, parting his hair into two mostly equal sections and beginning to braid one.

"Christin?" Edward began, enjoying the way her name, yes this was going to sound cheesy but hey, tasted.

"Hm?" she replied.

"Uh… would you mind… if I, uh… said that I … I think I might be falling in love with you?" he inquired softly, surreptitiously glad she could not see his face since it was a red as the sunset-colored sky. He had said it. He felt her pause in her actions for a brief moment, then resume.

"I don't mind at all, Edward, because to be completely, totally, 100% honest I think I night be falling in love with you too," she confessed. "Just don't tell Al, okay?"

"Believe me, I won't," he chuckled.

"You're done," she said, conjuring up a mirror so he could see the mostly symmetrical twin braids she had plaited.

"I look like a girl," he stated.

"Well, you're a very girly guy, Ed. I mean, seriously. You have long hair, you place your hands on your hips when you talk sometimes like a girl would, and you even cross your legs like a girl!" she listed. "If it keeps up, I might have to change your name to something more feminine."

"I am not girly," he said firmly, undoing her handiwork. She swatted his hands away and started re-doing it.

"Puh-lease," she enunciated. "Sometimes I think you're more feminine than I am. Besides, I think you make a very cute girl."

"Right back at you," he grinned.

"You think I'm cute?" she asked like she had heard him wrong.

"What, you don't like being called that?" he countered.

"No, it's just that that's what people always used to say. Apparently I'm very cute, though I don't really see it," she grumbled. She tied his hair back in a simple ponytail and let her hands rest on his shoulders for a minute.

"I lied." Edward said as he turned around. The shocked look on Christin's face was priceless. "I think you're beautiful." She started laughing. "Why is that funny? I'm baring my soul here, you don't have to laugh at me!" he fumed.

"I'm not laughing at you. It's…" she dissolved into another fit of giggles. "It's this thing I found on the internet one day."

"More internet crap?" he drawled. She nodded, still smiling like an idiot.

"Yeah, it was, um… 'When a guy calls you hot, he's looking at your body. When a guy calls you pretty, he's looking at your face. But when a guy calls you beautiful, he's looking at your soul.' It's stupid really…" she chuckled a little.

"You're stupid," Edward retorted. "…but that's one of the things I like about you."

"Christin, we need you over here!" Josiah called from across the camp.

"Man, just when my mood was improving…" she grumbled before shuffling over. Ah crap. She forgot to ask him… why did she keep forgetting to ask about his past? Of course, she could ask Alphonse too, but… oh, she didn't know _anything_ anymore. However, one thing she knew for certain as that she had made a big mistake by telling Edward the truth and she was sure to have hell to pay for it if Alphonse found out. The exact thing she had wanted to avoid had shown up anyway – a love triangle. Or… maybe a 'might be love' triangle was a more appropriate term, since both she and Edward were unsure of their feelings. God, things were getting so complicated!

"Why can't things be simple?" Edward groaned. Yes, he had finally decided to forget about his oath of non-attraction, but… with things the way they were, he was probably going to get in trouble at one point or another. _And _they were going back home to Resembool, where Winry was. Yes, he had always known that she liked him but he didn't pursue it because she'd just end up getting hurt. And now he was bringing a strange girl home with him. Dread washed over him as he pictured Winry's reaction: screaming and he throwing of a wrench at him. He really hoped it wouldn't end up the way the situation had with Noa…

Alphonse gazed into the flickering flames of the campfire, oblivious to nearly everything around him. What had _happened_ earlier? Why did he find Didi so… attractive? Was it because she looked like Christin to some extent? He pondered her reaction if she found out about… well, the only word he could think of was 'affair', though he wasn't married. Perhaps it was 'cheating'. Either way, if Christin, or Edward for that matter, found out, he'd surely be screwed. All he really wanted was a peaceful life, but that idea had shattered the moment Christin dropped into his life, literally. He couldn't see her settling down and possibly starting a family. Now that he thought about it, she was almost like Edward, height complex included. Perhaps… Edward was better suited to her than he was… they got along fine, for the most part. He sighed and hung his head. His entire life had been turned upside down and inside out.

Edward watched his brother curiously. Something did seem… different about him. He was going around in a daze, like something amazing happened that he didn't really believe. He suddenly felt weird. He was a third wheel of sorts. Christin and Alphonse certainly had a thing going, and unless either of them was alone with her he felt really awkward and out of place.

"Dammit…" he swore. "This isn't going to get any easier anytime soon is it?" he asked the air. It gave no reply, so he wandered off to find something to keep him busy until later.

* * *

_A/N: well, things are certainly getting more intricate. I told you there's be more drama, and it's only going to get more and more complex. Deceit has finally struck a bargain with Robin, so I can finally start adding this part I have floating around in my head. Something I didn't plan, however, was the involvement with Deceit and Alphonse. That just kinda happened on its own, but I'll make it work. A big, super special thanksies to __IceFire Dragon Alchemist 73_ for reviewing so often. You're a huge help. Kelsie, I apologize for any stupid spelling errors I made (though I was especially through after you told me that it was irritating when I left random letters in there) and I also do so in advance in case if happens again. I think this might be the longest chapter yet – it's ten pages on Microsoft word! See you all next time!

_Also, i ask that anyone who reads this story and has an opinion on who they want Christin to end up with in the end (if i get that far) go take my poll on my profile. Oh, and Catch Me As I Fall has been temporarily stopped because i'm working on this story. My sincerest apologies..._


	18. Cheif Standing Bear

18: Cheif Standing Bear

Well, it had taken a few days, but everyone finally arrived in Resembool. Christin had improved dramatically and no longer cried herself to sleep. Kelsie, however, was suffering major withdrawal symptoms form being away from Russell for such a long time.

"It's been so _long_ since I last saw him!" she griped. Edward and Alphonse rolled their eyes.

"Get over it," Christin sang. She practically skipped down the dusty dirt road, ignoring the fact that it felt like it was a zillion degrees out. It was the middle of June now, and she was so happy that she didn't have to spend it with her father. She felt a twinge of sadness because she did like his girlfriend, but it didn't matter; as far as she knew she was unable to go back to her world, which was just fine with her. She didn't miss the traffic, the idiotic people at her school, going to school in general (though she would've graduated a year ago), being bossed around by teachers and parents or sassed by her pathetic excuse for a brother. She hoped she would never tire of this newfound freedom. But… there was one small downside.

The other day she had been bathing in a hot spring she found while wandering the area surrounding the Flying Nomads' campsite and noticed that wires had started snaking up her arm, poking in and out of her skin. Also, she found herself acting… not like herself. Conan had asked if she wanted to try acting in a small skit and she had replied: 'Negative. That is not in my programming.' Something wasn't quite right, but she didn't care enough to pursue it. That was one of her flaws: she could be extremely apathetic. So despite the near eighty degree weather she wore a sweater.

"You're weirdly perky today," Edward grumbled. She turned around to face them.

"Of course I am; it's a full moon!" she chirped. "I always get really, really, really, really, super-duper, majorly, freakin' hyper!"

"I hadn't noticed…" Kelsie mumbled. Alphonse chuckled. He found Christin's once-monthly hyperactivity entertaining, except for the small fact that she couldn't sit still for very long. They had heard over the radio that she was a suspect in the sudden demolition of a quarter of the Central military headquarters. There have also been rumors that, since she has 'been reported missing' since the incident, that she died when the building collapsed. Just to be on the safe side, they disguised her.

While her hair hadn't been cut exactly, it had been trimmed a bit and tinted so instead of 'dirty honey', as she called it, it was a golden-copper color with a few black streaks around her face. Instead of letting if fall loosely around her, she now kept it tied up in two ponytails with matching black ribbons. But everyone agreed that the fake glasses made the biggest difference. They were small square panes of glass that would be used in windows or something, held by red frames. She had reluctantly agreed to stop using her iPod publicly and wore gloves to hide the screen and control buttons on her hand. Not that anyone would see it because her sweater sleeves covered her hands entirely unless she pushed them out of the way.

"Al, you okay?" she asked. Alphonse blinked and nearly walked into her.

"I'm fine. Why?" he replied.

"I dunno you just seem kinda spacey lately is all. Is something on your mind?" she prompted. Guilt washed over him as memories of Didi flooded his mind, particularly their encounter last night.

"Won't your girlfriend be mad if she finds out?" Didi had asked him. He sighed and shook his head.

"Honestly I can't even picture her doing that much. She can be so oblivious sometimes…" he replied. "I don't think we need to worry about that." This was only the second time they had met and already he was using 'we'. Things were moving really fast, but somehow he didn't seem to mind.

"That works for me," she giggled. She grabbed his face and kissed him, pushing him up against a tree.

He let everything go and focused on her alone. All he wanted to do was make her happy. Yes, he had a similar sentiment about Christin, but there wasn't the desire he felt for Didi. With Christin it was only emotional; they never got really far physically, especially after her rape by Robin. But with Didi it was almost all physical, with very little talking if none at all. As he mulled about in his thoughts, he was slowly pulling her closer to him while sliding his hands up her shirt at the same time. He jolted a bit when she started sliding her hand down his pants. Something rustled in the bushes nearby and they separated, fearing that they had been found. A dark greenish-black rodent peered up at them curiously.

"I better go," she sighed. "If I stay too long, or if you're gone too long, they'll notice something is amiss."

"I guess you're right," Alphonse agreed, disappointment dripping from his voice.

"I'll come see you again," she smiled, pressing a finger to his lips. "Any time you want me, I'll come."

"Alright," he accepted. Then they parted and he wandered back to camp more than slightly dazed.

"Al?" she asked.

"Y-yes?!" he responded.

"It's not 'yes'. I asked where we're going and as far as I know 'yes' isn't a town," she chided.

"Uh… home?" he suggested, looking to Edward for help. He only shrugged in response. Christin resumed her trek along with the others, pausing only to climb on top of the stone wall so she could walk across it like a balance beam.

"If you fall and hurt yourself, I'm not going to carry you," Edward said.

"Yeah, same here," Alphonse agreed. "No offense, but you weigh a lot."

"Well, pardon my anatomy," she sassed, kicking at his head playfully. He grumbled something inaudible and trudged ahead with Kelsie close on his heels. "Am I really that heavy?" she asked Edward.

"You are. My muscles are still recovering from carrying you down the mountain in Xenotime," he confirmed.

"Should I lose weight?" she asked.

"I don't care," he muttered. He heard Christin lose her footing and instantly reacted.

"Gotcha," she sang. She had scraped the edge of her boot in such a way that she made it sound like she was going to fall. She came to a large gap in the wall and paused. If she tried jumping it, she might hurt herself, but she didn't want to climb down only to climb back up a few feet away. Edward watched as she struggled over the situation, backed up and got a running start, and fairly flew over the gap, landing neatly on one foot.

"Christin, get down before you die," he sighed. She grumbled but obeyed, hopping down from the wall. They walked a few feet and she tripped on a rock. Edward burst out laughing.

"It's not funny," she snapped, moving around so she was in a mostly sitting position. Edward noticed that she kept her left foot slightly elevated, meaning she probably hurt it.

"Sorry…" he said through snickers. He bent down to examine the damage, if there was any. He gently picked up her leg by her ankle and she grunted in pain. Being as careful as he possibly could (what with his mechanical arm that took him a while to get control of), he pushed up her pant leg to reveal the slightly swollen skin beneath.

"Agh, that hurts!" she complained, trying to scoot away from him. She had probably twisted it or something, but that swelling didn't look too good. She knew Edward was being as gentle as was humanly possible for him, but it still hurt when he touched the injury.

"Can you stay put for two seconds?!" he snapped. She squeaked and stopped moving. "Thank you."

"Sorry, I'm such a klutz sometimes," she apologized.

"That's a bit of an understatement, but okay," he chuckled. "However we look at it, it doesn't look like you'll be walking for a while." Christin giggled. "What?"

"You said 'we'," she tittered.

"English," he prompted.

"You said 'we' but you and me are the only people around cuz Al and Kelsie went that way, so when you said 'we' you were implying you and me as one," she replied, pressing her pointer fingers together and blushing a bit.

"You know, even after a year and…what, six months or so? I still don't really understand you," he sighed, letting go of her limb. "Will I ever?"

"I dunno. I've known myself for nineteen years and a few months, and I still don't understand myself. So if I don't get me, I highly doubt you will," she held up her hands in an 'I don't know' pose.

"Brother, are you coming?" Alphonse called from some distance away.

"Yeah. The idiot hurt herself and I was just making sure she didn't die," he called back.

"Oh, so now I'm an idiot?" she demanded sarcastically.

"Hey, you said it first," he retorted. "Don't give me that look; I've heard you call yourself an idiot more times than I could possibly remember." He laced one arm under hers and draped one over his shoulders.

"I thought you said you weren't going to carry me," she stated.

"I didn't say anything about helping you crutch, though, did I?" he replied.

"I guess not…" she resigned. They continued walking… well, Edward walked. Christin sort of hobbled along beside him, but had to stop repeatedly because she complained too much. That and she had started coughing a bit.

It was a few hours before sunset when Edward and Alphonse finally saw the familiar yellow house. Kelsie was still moping around, muttering random crap about how much she missed Russell, and Christin was able (forcing herself, really) to limp, if not walk, on her own.

Christin felt her stomach clench and knew her defensive attitude was kicking in, meaning that she would get all cold, snobby, and yes, even bitchy. It wasn't her fault, exactly, but the fault of her former parents. Since she was little, all she could remember was moving from one place to another and switching custody from her mom to her dad and back again. She had never really settled down enough to make lasting friendships (at least until high school) and had ended up being 'alienated' as Alphonse put it. But… try as she might, she had never really been able to overcome that, though she tried her hardest. She sighed and silently prayed to whatever god or goddess might be paying attention to her that this would not be a rehash of her relationship with Noa. Then again she had her doubts. She shifted her weight from one leg to the next, but instantly switched back when pain shot through her leg. She walked slowly, mostly to hide her limp, but partially because she hated meeting new people. Apparently she had met one person before, but it wasn't like she remembered. Again, her apathy at work. Dread nearly drowned her as she loped up to the door behind everyone else.

"Ed!! Al!!" a perky blond cried as she burst through the door, followed by a girl with short brown hair and glasses and another girl with black and red hair.

"Geez. If I had known I'd be part of a harem, I wouldn't have come," Christin muttered to Kelsie, who snickered in reply. Indeed, both boys were being glomped by the blond while the other two girls stood by. A tiny old woman with a ponytail and a pipe emerged from the door.

"So you really are back. I guess Winry wasn't lying," she grinned. "Who's this?" she asked eyeing Kelsie.

"Oh, that's Kelsie and the one with the ponytails is…" Alphonse paused and looked around. "Where'd Christin go?"

Edward and Kelsie spun around, looking for their missing companion. She was nowhere to be seen.

Christin had in fact dashed to the side of the building at the last moment in an attempt to hide another coughing fit. What was wrong with her? Well, she did always get sick when spring changed into summer, so it was probably that, but… the blood splatters on her hand seemed to prove otherwise. She heard her friends calling for her and quickly wiped her hand on the grass. She straightened up out of her bent position and wandered over to the front of the house.

"Hey shorty, where are you?" Edward teased. Her weakness was similar to his.

"I told you time and again that **five feet two inches is not short.**" She snarled harshly as she emerged.

"Whoa, who pissed you off?" Kelsie commented. A death glare shut her up.

"What is it, Barbie?" Christin drawled.

"What's Barbie?" Edward asked.

"It's this stupid doll where I'm from. She's a retarded blond bimbo who's apparently a jack-of-all-trades. She's been everything from a fashion model to a mom to a sword-wielding dweeb. It's your new nickname, so shut up and get used to it," she explained.

"You've got quite an attitude, young lady," the old woman noted.

"Ah, right…. Christin, this is our aunt Pinako, her granddaughter Winry, who you met back in Central, and that's Sheska, who works for the military, and I don't know who that is," Alphonse explained, pointing to each person mentioned. "Auntie Pinako, this is Christin," he added.

"Well howdy-do," Christin greeted them, putting on a terrible country bumpkin accent. She felt her face twinge a bit as her chest started hurting again and she managed to suppress another round of coughing.

"Christin Fallbrook?" Pinako questioned.

"'Sup homie?" she replied, this time acting gangster and even adding what she thought was a gangster greeting, pounding her heart twice and making a sideways peace sign with her fingers.

"Chief, she's here," the woman called into the house. A crinkly old man who suddenly reminded Christin very much of the Big Friendly Giant, only he wasn't a big giant and she didn't know if he was friendly, doddered to the front yard. He has very long gray hair, glassy orchid-colored eyes and weird tribal clothing. She noticed that his cane was carved n the shape of a slightly terrifying dragon.

"Ah, my beautiful Mahk'rah… you are here at last," his thickly accented voice rolled over the words like a dog does on a sunny afternoon.

"What?" everyone asked. Christin stepped back a pace. Suddenly she didn't like this guy all that much.

"Come inside and I shall explain. Everything you need to know and more about your curious little friend," Standing Bear smiled, creating even more wrinkles on his aged face.

Christin sat at the table, her head resting heavily on her arms. Her brain was overflowing with all the stuff the chief had told her. "One more time!" she pleaded, still unable to grasp what she had become.

"Dammit, this is the fifth time, Christin!" Edward snapped. He had gotten it the first time, but he failed to see that it wasn't concerning him, it was concerning Christin, and he didn't necessarily need to understand everything.

"Shut up and sit down!" she barked. He found himself sitting in his chair again, although he really wanted to go outside. "Now stay there until I say you can get up." Edward tried moving, but found he couldn't get up, no matter how hard he tried.

Standing Bear cleared his throat and began again.

"My tribe is a small one, four sunset's travel from the Creta-Amestrian border following the setting of the sun. A long time ago, the chief of the tribe was traveling through the jungle when he stumbled upon a woman. She was near death, but the chief was kind hearted and took her to his small village at the edge of the Great Valley and nursed her back to health. As fate would have it, the woman was in fact a goddess who had descended from the heavens and had been ambushed.

'You were the first human to show me kindness, chief.' She had said when she was well enough to speak. 'For that, I shall grant you a wish.'

'I need no wish; seeing you healthy again is thanks enough.' He had replied. The goddess, whose name was Rahshan, meaning "blessed gift", refused to return to the heavens until she repaid the chief for saving her life. Many moons passed and still she was denied the granting of the chief's wish, for he was a selfless man and needed nothing for himself.

'Surely your tribe must need something. I will not go back to the heavens until I repay you,' Rahshan insisted.

'Ah, but my tribe is a happy one, you see? We are able to live peacefully in the jungle without harming it, and it repays us for our kindness by providing food and shelter. Go back to the heavens, lest you be ambushed again.' The chief dismissed her, but still she would not go.

One day, several years later, the tribe was attacked by strange people who manipulated matter by drawing circles. Rahshan witnessed the siege and found a way to repay her debt. The attackers had greatly damaged the village and surrounding jungle and many tribesmen were slain. She went to a young girl-child who was only fourteen years of age, and had survived the siege by hiding in the Great Valley. She took the girl, Mahkhan, to the chief and explained the situation.

'You home has been ruined by the men who draw manipulation circles. You still cling to the old ways of your ancestors and are being left behind as the rest of the world creates weapons far surpassing the spear or the arrow. Unless something is done, you will be wiped from the face of the planet,' she stated clearly.

'Goddess, you are right. I have been a fool, thinking we would not be harmed as the other places in the world advanced. Please, I beseech you, grant me the wish you said I was to receive,' he pleaded, bowing deeply and hanging his head in shame.

'State your wish," Rahshan prompted.

"Rahshan, I wish for a way to protect my tribe, for a way for us to protect that which we cherish," he replied humbly.

Rahshan beckoned Mahkhan forward. The young girl obeyed. Rahshan kissed the girl's forehead, giving her a portion of her infinite power.

'I have given the girl powers similar to my own. She shall be able to create, control, and destroy as she wishes. I have given her a gift of the gods, one of the highest quality; the power of a god. I shall allow this power to be obtained by anyone in the tribe who is worthy of such prowess, and I shall also grant another child a similar power, one much greater than the one bestowed upon her.' Rahshan then summoned forth another child, a boy named Kalingro. He received the goddess's kiss and her power.

'Goddess, what?' the chief asked, for now Rahshan was transparent and vanishing quickly.

'I have given this boy powers similar to the girl's, but he will also be able to bestow life upon that which has none or has lost it. He shall be the god on the earth, who watches over everything dear to him and his own. Now I bid thee farewell, for I have given up my status as a goddess and must go to the place beyond the heavens, where my soul will await whatever the high god decides.' With that, Rahshan vanished. The chief, nearly beside himself because of the goddess's generosity, quickly tended to the gifted children. The girl was given the title Mahk'rah, meaning 'one who is gifted by the gods' and the boy was given the title Kali'rah, meaning 'the god who fell to earth'. To this day their descendants live at the edge of the Great Valley, which was named Mahk'rah Doon, or 'valley of the gifted ones'.

And that is the story of the goddess Rahshan." The chief finished.

"And… I have that power?" Christin asked uncertainly. Standing Bear nodded.

"But until we test the strength and limit of your powers, we will not know for certain whether you are a Mahk'rah or a Kali'rah."

"I don't like the sound of this…" Christin mused, dropping her head on the table.

"Apart from the fact that is sounds like a fairy tale, it sounds reasonable to me," Alphonse said.

"But this probably means that I will have to complete arduous tasks for him to figure out what I am!" she whined. "It happens all the time in anime and manga!" she insisted.

True to what she expected, Christin spent the next three days with Standing Bear, testing her ability to create on the first day, the ability to destroy the second, and control the third. Edward got a fair amount of amusement out of watching her, until he (as he just so happened to be the only other person around at the time) was used in part of the 'control' experiments, in which Christin made him do lots of really stupid and slightly weird things, some of which literally almost cost him his head.

"That's my head!" he cried as a ball of white energy flew past him, just barely missing his head. "Are you trying to kill me?!"

"Brother, what's go—" Alphonse asked as he rounded the house to the backyard, where the training was taking place.

"Ah, head's up!!" Christin called. Alphonse ducked just in time to avoid a miniature comet from boring a hole in his head. "I'm so sorry!!" she apologized.

"So there's the possibility that this girl is a god, huh?" Pinako stated.

"Well, it sure looks like it," Katie, the girl with red and black hair nodded. She was apprenticing at Rockbell automail and was fairly involved in any situation that passed through the house.

"Going off what the boys and Kelsie told me, she's doing much better," the old woman glanced out the second story window at the chaos down below. Christin was running frantically while the chief, who was far more agile than his age suggested, trailed after her, firing bluish-white orbs of light that left fairly large potholes in the ground. Edward and Alphonse were nearly doubled over with laughter, both clutching their stomachs and trying to stay standing.

"There's something else, though," Kelsie said as she entered the room.

"What else could there be?" Winry asked, looking up from the limb she was working on. Kelsie's grim expression clearly proclaimed that it wasn't something good.

"I could sleep for a month…" Christin babbled later that afternoon. She was sprawled across Alphonse's lap, breathing heavily and somewhat soaked in sweat, while he fanned her. She had stripped down as much as she could while still maintaining decency but was still broiling. "I forgot how much I hated summer," she groaned, digging out her pocket knife and cutting her pants into shorts.

"How come you forgot?" he asked.

"Because it wasn't so bad when I'm with you," she explained. She folded up the leftover fabric from her pants and tossed it aside. Now she wore just a tank top (her left arm was bandaged to hide the wires) and very short shorts.

"It's Christin, right?" Sheska asked, walking over to the two.

"That's my name; don't wear it out," she remarked.

"Pinako wants to talk to you," she said. Christin sat up and looked at her. "It's kinda important."

"I'll be back," she muttered as she got up and followed Sheska inside the house. All the girls were assembled inside and the atmosphere tipped hr off that something wasn't quite right.

"What'd you do know? You got the whole house lined up," Edward commented. He was seated at the table and eating a pie. Apple, by the smell of it, and it looked extremely good to Christin although she hated pie. She bit her lip to keep from drooling.

"Ed, go outside," Pinako ordered.

"Why?" he asked.

"Just go!" she snapped, throwing any nearby object at him. He scurried outside.

"Well done," Christin commented.

"Christin, is there something you need to tell us?" Pinako asked.

"Huh? Uh… no?" she asked, although she had already got a good idea that everyone knew about her secret, except the boys. "Scratch that last sentence. Actually, there's something I need your help with," she admitted, folding her arms and looking away.

"C'mon, let me in; it's freakin' hot out here!" Edward whined, banging on the locked door.

"I told you, I can't. Not until they're done," Katie, who was on guard duty to make sure they didn't interfere, repeated. Edward made whimpering noises and slumped against the door.

"Until who's done? What's going on in there?" Alphonse asked. Edward perked up when he heard the door open. Pinako stood before them, a very solemn expression on her face. "What's wrong?"

"You two didn't know did you?" she asked, taking her pipe out of her mouth.

"Know what?" they asked in unison.

"Well, since Christin didn't have the guts to tell you, she asked me to do it," Pinako sighed.

"What? Tell us what? Is she okay?" Alphonse asked. He was starting to panic. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Christin slowly enter the room. Was it his imagination or did she look… thinner?

"She was pregnant," Pinako stated simply. It took a few moments before the brothers understood what she had said.

"P-pregnant?" Edward repeated. "W-what… who…?" he floundered.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you didn't figure it out yourself. You really hadn't noticed that she was acting different, eating foods she normally wouldn't?" Pinako drawled, puffing on her pipe. "Right now, I'd really love to hit you two over the head, but since she claims that neither of you did it and that you should be left alone, I won't."

"I still don't understand… who got her pregnant?" Alphonse asked.

"Are you serious? 'Who got her pregnant?' Al, it's painfully obvious! In case you forgot, I was raped!" Christin snapped. "It was that bastard Robin!"

"That guy… I really hate that guy!" Edward growled. "Are you going to go through with it?" he asked a few moments later.

"Don't be stupid. Why do you think I was inside all afternoon? I got rid of it, because one: I'm not ready to be a parent, and two: I don't want anything from that guy," she said, firmly crossing her arms. "I know it might sound cruel, but I got rid of it. If you want to see it, I think it's still in the garbage." She turned and wandered away.

Alphonse instantly ran up to her room. How could he have been so blind? The weird mood swings… weird cravings for foods she hated… everything was right in front of his the whole time. Then… why was he going up to her room? Was it because he wanted proof that she was lying? No. she was not lying. The bloodied towels and operating tools clearly proved that she was pregnant, but not anymore.

"I'm an idiot…" he muttered.

"Al..." Edward started.

"I should've noticed… I'm her boyfriend… her goddamn boyfriend and I didn't see what was wrong!" he cried. "I should've been there… I said I was going to protect her, but I didn't."

"Al, it's not your fault," Edward said softly, hugging his brother. Alphonse clutched his shirt and started crying. "These things happen, you know? If anyone's to blame, it that jerk face Robin."

"He's right Al," Christin said. She stood in the doorway. "It's not your fault, and it sure as hell ain't mine."

"I know… I know that but…" Alphonse sobbed.

"It'll be alright. You've just got to move on. You've got legs, right? Let's put them to work," she smiled gently and hugged him. He clung to her and cried. Edward, no longer needed, turned and left. He smiled to himself. That girl sounded an awful lot like him just now. Maybe… that was why he stuck around with her…. Because he saw himself in her. She was kind of brash and stupid and… she even had a height complex like he did (he was taller than her, so he was okay with saying that). Maybe he was trying to prevent her from making the same mistakes he made, though they were two different people from two very different backgrounds.

"You didn't tell her about the transmutation, did you?" Pinako asked.

"I don't want her to get involved…" he admitted. "She has her own problems. She doesn't need mine too."

"She's going to find out sooner or later, Ed." She sniffed.

"Let's hope it's later," he shrugged and plopped down on the couch.

"You are in much trouble, young man," Standing Bear chided. Edward jumped and squeaked.

"What?" he asked.

"Your brother and you both love the same girl. That will cause problems," he smiled. Edward rolled on his stomach and buried his head under a pillow.

"I know that… but I can't help it. She's just so… so…" he paused, trying to think of a good word to describe her. "Amazing. It's really weird. Every time I get near her, I get all weak-kneed and stuff and I hate that… but I also like it. Besides, none of us are sure who loves who. I asked Christin and she said she might be in love with Al, but that she also might be in love with me. I asked Al the same thing and he said he wasn't sure either."

"And where do you stand in this triangle?" Standing Bear asked.

"Go 'way…" Edward grumbled. The chief chuckled and poddered away. It had been a very long week and everyone needed some rest.

_A/N: whelpers, there's chapter 18. Lots of stuff happened in this chappy, huh? Especially the whole 'Christin was pregnant with Robin's child' thing. I can honestly say I did not plan that; it just sorta happened on its own. Like the thing with Al and Deceit. Geez, if I'm not careful the characters might end up writing the story, not me! Anyways, R&R pleeeeze! And again, go take my poll and also check out my FMA/Elemental Gelade crossover. Until chappy 19…_


	19. What She's Become

19: What She's Become

"What are you doing?! That goes over here!" Winry screeched.

"You didn't say that!" Christin retorted.

"Yes I did! I said it goes on this shelf right behind me!"

"No you didn't!"

"Guys, knock it off!" Katie jumped in.

"Well, I told you now!" Winry defended.

"A-HA!! So you admit you didn't say it before!" Christin sneered.

"Alright, get out!" Winry shrieked. "I have work to do and you're only in my way!"

"Get in another fight?" Edward scoffed as Christin entered the kitchen.

"Aren't you smart?" she rolled her eyes. She tenderly touched her head and winced. "God, she should be a pitcher for a pro baseball team or something…"

Chief Standing Bear had stopped working Christin so hard, since he claimed that he was growing closer to the answer of what she was, leaving her with oodles of free time. She had befriended Katie and Sheska, but Winry was a different matter. They kept getting into arguments and each time Christin received a wrench to the head. It had started raining that morning and everyone was cooped up inside. Edward and Alphonse spent most of their time playing with their alchemy, Sheska could almost always be found reading, Katie and Kelsie found stuff to do, and Winry was nearly always in her shop, working on automail. Christin had started drawing a comic book again, something she did back in her world quite a bit (and which was part of the reason she was failing a few classes before she Jumped. The other part was she wrote fanfictions to post online), but wouldn't let anyone see it until she had finished a chapter. In other words, everyone kept themselves occupied and tried to avoid getting on each other's nerves.

"I hope it doesn't rain for too long…" she mused gently, wrapping some ice in a towel and holding it against her head.

"The radio said there might be a thunderstorm," Edward said.

"Fantastic…" Christin grumbled. She watched as Edward continued reading his book. He had to continually shove his bangs out of the way and each time they slithered into his line of vision he'd get more… enthusiastic about pushing them out of the way.

"What?" he asked when he caught her watching.

"If they bother you so much, why don't you just cut them?" she asked, tugging on a chunk of his bangs.

"I'm an alchemist, not a hair stylist," he pointed out.

"I could do it," she suggested. Edward eyes her skeptically. She often… modified her own hair and it didn't look to terrible. Maybe he'd let her do his.

"Not too short," he warned. She hopped up and fetched a pair of scissors. Alphonse entered the room.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"I'm giving him a hair cut, and you're next, bub," she replied, ruffling his shaggy hair. She wrapped a towel around Edward's neck and undid his braid before tying it back in a ponytail.

"I wanted my bangs cut, not the rest of my hair," he noted.

"I know, but it was coming out of the braid and I didn't want it to get in the way. Not shut up and sit still or I'm gonna end up poking your eye out," she circled him and leaned over so their faces were at the same level. "How short?"

"Could you not do that?" he asked, pointing to how short he wanted them.

"Do what?" she asked, combing his bed head bangs with her fingers.

"Lean over like that," he said.

"Does it bother you?" she asked as she measured out a chunk of hair.

"Yes, quite frankly, it does. I can see down your shirt and its making me uncomfortable," he said. He heard the _zwik_ of the scissors as it cut through his hair.

"Then don't look," she replied.

"You're right in front of me; it's kind of hard not to!" he burst. She flicked his nose.

"Oh, shut up. I'm almost done…" she trimmed the rest of his bangs then kicked him out of the chair. Alphonse took his place as she dumped the golden snips of hair in the trash.

"It's so boring to be cooped up inside," Alphonse groaned as Christin began cutting his hair.

"Then go outside," she stated.

"It's raining outside," Edward pointed out. Christin gave him an 'are you retarded?' look.

"So?" she countered. "It's just water. It's not like you're going to dissolve or something," she chuckled.

"Are you some sort of jack-of-all-trades?" Alphonse inquired.

"What makes you ask that?" she replied sweetly.

"Seriously, I've seen you do almost everything from dance to fix a phone to change the oil in a car," he recited.

"Honey, that's not even half the stuff in my repertoire," she grinned. "I can also play the drums, guitar, I'm pretty good at archery and badminton, I'm a pretty decent photographer, I can cook, I can bake…"

"I get it," he said, placing a hand over her mouth. She blinked rapidly for a few minutes then licked his hand. "Eww…" he groaned, wiping his hand on his pants.

"What is up with you and licking people?" Edward asked.

"I dunno. I guess I just like grossing them out." She shrugged and set the scissors down on the table. She tugged on the ribbon tying her hair back in a messy bun, and when her hair tumbled down around her face, Alphonse screamed.

"What did you do to your hair?!" he screeched. She gave him a confused look.

"I lopped it off, what does it look like?" she asked. "It was getting in my way so I cut it the way I used to have it. Do you like it?" she replied.

"Nooooooooo… I liked it when it was long!" he whined.

"Tough patooties," she hissed. "I'm going to bed."

"Where are you going?" Winry demanded as she passed Christin.

"I is going to sleep!!" she barked. They heard her run upstairs to the room she shared with Kelsie.

"Is she okay? She looked a little pale," Winry noted as she got a glass of water.

"I'm sure she's fine," Kelsie said as she and Katie entered the room.

"Do you hear coughing?" Katie asked. Everyone shut up and listened. Very faintly, they heard someone coughing.

Christin was doubled over on the floor of her room and coughing badly. She clawed at her chest. Why was her heart hurting so much? The taste of blood tinged her mouth as she coughed up the vital red liquid. Pain seared through her head as that noise drowned out any sounds. That awful noise… where was it coming from? Why was it only audible to her? She felt herself sit up first, and then stand and walk downstairs. Where was she going? She wanted to go to sleep. She tried moving her legs on her own, but couldn't control them. What was going on??

"I thought you went to bed," Kelsie stated as the two interacted. Her voice sounded very distant.

"I… can't… move…" Christin croaked. She watched as her arm lifted and sliced the air, dark red light hitting Kelsie and sending her into the far wall. Naturally, everyone hurried into the room to see what was going on.

Alphonse watched in partial horror. Dark red light, strikingly alike to the light that was present when they Jumped back to this world, consumed Christin like a fire. Her normally hazel eyes were a glazed, muddy green color and she moved like she was possessed. She raised her hands and, palm facing the small crowd of people, blasted her powers at them. Thinking quickly, he transmuted the floor and created a wall. The attack flowed around the wall and dissipated. He reeled back when Christin, freakishly transparent, walked through the wall. She was actually _walking through_ the solid structure in front of him. She solidified and approached.

"What are you doing?!" he cried.

"It's not… me… I can't control… my body…" she choked. "I'm not doing this…" she croaked as her eyes reverted back to normal and the red light vanished. She collapsed on the ground. Dark red liquid pooled around her left arm. Winry approached cautiously and removed the girl's sweater. The wires had traveled further up her arm, now reaching her shoulder, and pulsed sickly, like they were alive.

"Oh my god… what did you do?" Winry gasped.

"Data does not respond. Please re-input data." Christin droned.

"What?" Winry asked.

"What has happened here?" Standing Bear asked, pushing his way through the mass of people. He quickly dropped to his knees and picked up her arm. "She… is not from this world, is she?" he asked.

Edward and Alphonse shook their heads.

"This is bad. If she remains like this any longer – bound to technology from her world – soon she will be lost," Standing Bear reported.

"What do you mean lost?" Alphonse inquired.

"This machine is not supposed to exist in this world. Thus, when it came here, it needed to attach to something in order to survive. In other words it is a parasite and she is its host."

"But what does that mean? Will she be okay?" Edward pressed.

"We must operate quickly. The device is taking over her body, turning her into a machine. If something is not done, her humanity will be lost and all she will know is what that device was programmed to do," the chief replied grimly.

"She can't have another operation; she hasn't fully recovered from the last!" Pinako exclaimed.

"I will act as a medium, enabling you to remove the device without fear of her death. Quickly; it must be done!" the chief urged.

Christin was moved to an operation table. Standing Bear linked his hand with her free one and a bluish glow engulfed the contact. Pinako led the operation with Winry close on her heels. To keep themselves busy, Edward and Alphonse first fixed up the house then went outside to spar, neither of them caring about the rain. Sheska and Katie helped Kelsie, who had hit her head pretty hard when she was thrown against the wall.

"Something was wrong," Kelsie mumbled.

"What?" Katie asked.

"That wasn't how her power had manifested before… something was wrong…" Kelsie mumbled.

"I get the feeling that something bad is going on…" Sheska grinned wryly.

* * *

"Well, that wasn't bad for a first test run, I'd say," Robin chuckled.

"Yes, it was far more successful than I expected. To think that we'd be able to control so much power the very first time…" Deceit grinned.

"Everything from her powers to her motions was controlled, and we got the clearest reading from the tracking device yet. Bringing my princess home might be easier than I thought…" Robin stood up and left the room.

"But those alchemists still pose a problem. They are nearly always around her and I know that they'd try to protect her. What do you plan to do about that?" Deceit asked, following him. They wandered the halls of an abandoned mansion and stopped at the room the 'princess' would be staying in when she finally arrived.

"Don't worry; I have a plan for those two. We're gonna light up the night like it was the fourth of July," he smirked.

"I'm starting to think you need to spend less time in that America place and more time here…" she pouted. There he goes _again_, mentioning strange holidays from that other dimension. But… that dimension is also where the 'princess' is from, originally. He might be able to keep her under control by bringing her things she wanted from that world….

"How are things progressing, my little lie?" Envy crooned from a shadowed hallway.

"Our war will come soon enough, dear," she replied so sweetly it was sickening.

* * *

It was far past midnight before anyone emerged from the operating room. Alphonse was nearly a wreck, constantly fearing the worst might happen, and it was really getting on Edward's nerves.

"But I don't want her to die!!" he whined, voicing some of the internal argument he was having with himself.

"Just shut up!!" Edward barked.

"How can you be so heartless, brother?! Don't you care what happens to her?!" Alphonse nearly screeched, his voice raising a few octaves and cracking a bit. Actually, Edward _did_ care… perhaps more than he should.

"Would you stop screaming?" Winry snapped as she entered the room.

"You're going to wake her up, and she needs to rest right now," Pinako chided.

"Can I go see her?" he asked. The old woman nodded and he all but ran from the room at top speed.

"How'd it go?" Edward asked.

"She's fine now. We've removed the machine entirely, so her arm is a little deformed now but that will heal. She put up quite a fight when we started removing it, though, thrashing around and all," Pinako replied.

"That was the machine's connection to her. She must've been very attached to it before she came here and didn't want to separate with it. We've severed her last tie to her home world," Standing Bear added.

"Wasn't she unconscious though?" he asked.

"She was, in the beginning. When we started removing it, she woke up. We gave her enough sedatives to kill someone before she finally calmed down enough for us to finish," Winry added, wiping her forehead. "Ed…"

"Hm?" he replied, feeling very tired now that everything was over.

"I think you should tell her about your past," she stated.

"What makes you say that?" he asked, stifling a yawn.

"Call me crazy, but think that if you don't do it now, you'll never get the chance," she said before wandering away. Edward yawned and stretched out on the couch, falling asleep quickly. Meanwhile, Alphonse had crawled into bed next to Christin. He laced his fingers through hers and rested his head on her chest. He fell asleep lulled by the beating of her heart and her rhythmic breathing.

* * *

"No, please don't take Saru away!" Christin whined loudly. Edward rolled over and landed hard on the floor. He rubbed his head and pushed his hair out of his face and glanced at the clock. It was a little after seven in the morning.

"You can't be serious…." He grumbled to no one in particular.

"Christin, calm down!" Winry urged.

"What are you doing?! No, don't throw it out, please!" Christin begged. Pinako entered the room, carrying a small silver rectangle that was stained with blood.

"Are you mad?! This thing nearly took your arm off!" Pinako cried. Christin stumbled after her, leaning against the wall for support as she was a little light headed from the surgery to remove her iPod from her arm.

"I don't care; Saru is mine and I want it back!" she retorted, snatching the device from the old woman's hands. A bright light flashed, casting strange shadows on the walls and furniture. Floating in the middle of the room was an orb of white light.

"Don't touch it; you don't know what it is!" Alphonse cried, trying to restrain Christin. The orb floated within arm's reach of Christin. She wrenched one arm free and pressed a finger to the orb. It made a very comical _pop_ sound and the large orb split into several smaller ones. A small figure hovered in between them.

"What's wrong, master? You look tired," a small girl with cat ears and a monkey tail noted.

"That's because I am, Saru. You're very observant," Christin droned. Everyone stared at the cat-monkey-girl-thing.

"What is it?" Alphonse asked shyly.

"I'm Saru. I'm a shikigami!" Saru chirped.

"How did you get here? I mean… weren't you that iPod thing that was in her hand?" Katie asked.

"I don't know. My master made me," Saru replied.

"This is truly remarkable…" Standing Bear gushed.

"What is? Kelsie asked.

"She gave life to an inanimate object," the chief replied.

"Meaning…" Sheska prompted.

"There hasn't been one in over a hundred years," he continued.

"What? What are you saying?" Alphonse pressed.

"This girl is… a Kali'rah," Standing Bear finished.

"You're saying that… she's a god?" Edward concluded, more than slightly awed. The chief nodded firmly, a small smile creating about a dozen more wrinkles in his aged face.

Everyone looked at Christin with a new perspective. There she was, same as always, talking to a formerly inanimate object like she hadn't heard a thing.

* * *

_A/N: Whooooaa!! Look out now! Christin is certainly more interesting than I had originally planned isn't she? Well, not that you would know what the original Christin character was supposed to be like, but… wow! So yep. She's a god. Anyone wanna guess what's gonna happen next? Cuz I can honestly say I'm not really sure. Well, I sorta have an idea cuz that 'I'll Make a Man Out Of You' song from Mulan keeps playing in my head (though I haven't seen the movie in a few years) so it's something based off that song._

_Sorry, long author's note this time. Please bear with me for this exciting news flash: I am turning this story into a manga!!! Yes, you'll all finally get to see what Christin looks like! From my perspective at least…by the way, I want to apologize in advance if y'all think Alphonse looks weird (tho my friend says my drawing looks like him) cuz I'm still barely learning how to do Ed's flippin' automail and Al-armor version. So go check it out and tell me what you think! I'll put up a link when I finish uploading the pics to my website. I'm only up to page three though, so bear with me cuz I have school and crap and can't update/draw every freakin' hour of the day._

_I forget who wrote this in a review, but whoever suggested that the iPod play appropriate music, I present Saru, Christin's iPod- shikigami (a shikigami is a little spiritual messenger. Go watch Moonphase cuz I got Saru's idea from Haiji). I'll upload a drawing of her when I get the chance. and saru is the name of my iPod in real life. X3 monkey face!!_


	20. Alphonse's Choice

20: Alphonse's Choice

"Edwaaaaaaaaard!!" Saru screamed as she flew inside, ramming into the back of the said blonde's head.

"Oww, what?!" he snapped, grabbing the creature by the hood of her kimono-style sweater and shaking her.

"My master wants a glass of water cuz she's been training super, super hard and is really really thirsty," Saru reported.

"Why can't she do it herself?" he asked. Christin had recovered with startling speed and was kept busy again with the chief, working on controlling her powers. "Or why can't you do it?"

"Come on, man. I'm six inches tall! I can't carry a glass of water all the way to the front door!" Saru whined, flapping her arms as she tried to get away.

"If she's at the door why can't she come inside?" he grumbled. Saru pointed to a very exhausted Christin, who was crawling her way inside army-style. She was halfway through the door when she gave up entirely.

"Where are you going? You're not done yet!" Standing Bear grunted as he appeared in the doorway.

"I don't care! I can feel my legs dissolving into goop!" Christin whined. "I just wanna roll over and die!"

"If you've got strength to complain, you've got strength to train," the chief chanted, grabbing her ankle and dragging her outside. She wailed and clawed at the floor but to no avail.

"She's being worked awful hard, isn't she?" Sheska asked. Edward sighed had ran a hand through his hair, releasing Saru.

"I guess. I haven't really seen much of her the past few days. She's been getting up super early cuz of the old geezer and she goes to bed really early too and sleeps like a rock," he mumbled. "It's like we're running on different clocks, one always behind the other."

A loud rumbling filled the house and the two heard the sound of ground cracking outside. They hurried out to find a massive crater in the ground, with Standing Bear leaning over the edge.

"Not what I wanted, but not bad," he called. Edward and Sheska joined the small crowd sitting near the edge of the house.

"It's really funny to watch her," Winry stated.

"I can't help wondering what happened that day…" Kelsie mused. "…why she attacked us."

"Your guess is as good as mine right now," Alphonse shrugged. They watched as Christin climbed up out of the crater, then slip and fall back in. More cracking echoed in the still summer air as she managed more or less to return the ground to its original state.

"Come on master! Kick his butt!!" Saru cried.

"Yeah, c'mon Chris! You can do it!!" Winry teased.

"Don't shorten my name!!" she snarled, stomping her foot on the ground. A large gash appeared and snaked its way towards Winry, stopping just before it would swallow her.

"Are you insane?!" the blond woman cried.

"I told you to never shorten my name, you blond ditz!" Christin barked. Standing Bear launched a ball of energy at her, which sent her flying into the sky.

"That's going to leave a mark," Pinako commented.

"Or not," Alphonse added as Christin did a back flip in midair and landed cat-like on the ground. He watched with curiosity as she began moving her arms back and forth in rather choppy motions.

"All right, it's time for super earthbending, Toph Bei Fong style!!" Christin cried as she warped the ground and sent huge chunks of rock flying at the old man.

"She's looking a lot better now, huh?" Kelsie asked.

"Yeah, but she's still an idiot," Edward agreed. He hid a smile as Christin was pelted with small bursts of air that sliced her skin and collapsed. She made pain funny.

"You're that tired that you cannot stand? Very well, we shall stop for today," Standing Bear bowed and headed towards the house.

"Hey old man…" Christin said, pushing herself off of the ground. "If there's one thing I hate more than anything else, it's giving up. I'm not through with you yet!" she sent small discs of what looked like stars at the retreating man, the force of the attack making her skid backwards on the ground. Dust clouded the area where the attack landed and when it cleared Standing Bear was on his back.

"Now we are done," he smiled as he stood up. Christin sighed and fell backwards.

"Master!!" Saru cried, flying over.

"It's so hot out… I feel like a fried egg…" Christin mumbled. Saru began fanning her as she wriggled out of her sweat-soaked T-shirt, stood up, and walked over to her friends. "The shade feels so good!" she sighed.

"Why don't we go down to the lake and go swimming?" Winry suggested. Edward's groan was drowned out by everyone's cheering. Yes it was hot out, but… he wasn't up to swimming. He noticed that Christin didn't seem all that excited either.

* * *

"Aren't you going to go in?" Alphonse asked later that afternoon. Christin had sat moodily on with dock with Edward for the past half hour.

"It's just water; I don't see what's so exciting about it," she grumbled.

"Could it be that you don't know how to swim?" Edward elbowed her in the ribs.

"I could say the same to you; why don't you get in?" she retorted. "I bet you don't know how to swim."

Edward blushed and turned his head away. "Shut up."

"How can you not know how to swim? It's, like, soooo easy!" Christin continued. She stood up and tugged on his arm.

"I'm not getting in!" he protested, standing up.

"Baby," she teased. He snapped and pushed her towards the water. She balanced precariously on the edge of the dock, grabbing onto Edward's shirt reflexively before falling in and dragging him with. She saw Edward start to panic and acted quickly, creating a rather large bubble around them. But it wasn't an ordinary bubble; it was a special bubble that filtered air while still maintaining the water inside. It was something she had created for a character in a story she made up once, and now she was very glad she thought of that idea. Edward stopped panicking and looked around.

"What's going on? Whoa! Why can I breathe underwater?"

"You're so silly, Ed," Christin giggled. "Are you already forgetting what I am? I can do anything." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the surface.

"Are you guys okay? You were down there an awful long time," Katie swam up to them.

"I bet I can stay underwater longer than you," Christin challenged. The two dove underwater while Edward… swam… to the edge of the lake and hauled himself out of the water. He clapped and touched his chest, transmuting the water in his clothes into a mist. He then flopped on his back and snoozed. Something rather cold and wet splashing on his face woke him up a few minutes later. He looked up and saw Christin walking next to him, wringing out her shirt. He bit his lip to avoid telling her that her… undergarments… were practically see through and brought up another subject.

"When did you get a tattoo?" he asked, eyeing the peculiar cross inked between her breasts.

"Hm? Oh, a while ago. It was when we were back in Central and I was still in the public's good graces," she said. "I didn't think you'd be interested in body art. Now stop staring at my chest. People will get the wrong idea."

"I hate you," he grumbled, rolling over on the sand.

"I is sowwy," she moped, throwing herself across his stomach. He sat up quickly and she rolled over. "You look sexy when your hair's all wet like that," she grinned.

"I'm just going to stop talking to you all together," he grumbled, forcing back a similar complement. She looked much cuter when wet. Her hair curled around her face and her eyes looked more sparkly than usual. The fact that her clothed were clinging to her figure, he tried very hard not to think about. Of all days, why did she pick today to wear a white shirt?

"Good luck with that," she smirked before getting up and wandering over to the edge of the lake, where almost everyone was tossing around a rubber ball. A few minutes later she walked back. "Did you see Al anywhere?" she asked.

"Now that you mention it, no," Edward replied.

* * *

"We're getting further and further each time," Alphonse sighed heavily. Deceit was curled up next to him.

"Is that bothering you?" she asked.

"Yes, because I want to go all the way, but you keep leaving," he whined.

"Could it be that you still like your girlfriend?" she asked, untangling herself from his arm.

"I guess… I don't know. I mean, I still like her, but…" he sighed again.

"But what?" she asked.

"I think I like you more," he finished. Deceit chuckled and pulled on her shirt.

"Well, how 'bout this? I'll give you three days to think about who you'd rather be with. Then on the third day you let us both know," she grinned before walking away. He sighed for a third time and began making his way back to where his friends and family were, when he stopped in his tracks. Suddenly he knew who he wanted to be with.

* * *

"Oh, no one's watching!" Christin urged. Edward scooted away.

"I'm not going to let you bite my neck!" he protested. "You're not a vampire!"

"How do you know?" she asked coolly, pushing him down on the ground.

"Do you ever listen?" he replied.

"You know you want me to," she grinned.

"Don't put words in my mouth!" he spat.

"I'm not putting words in your mouth, Ed…" she started. He felt his body freeze when he felt her warm breath on his neck. "…I'm putting ideas into your head," she bit down on his skin and much to his surprise, he liked it. And he wanted more.

"What the heck have you done to me?" he mumbled. "I've never been such a pushover in my life…" nor had he been so attracted to one person before.

"I feel so bad…" Christin sighed, sitting up. "I'm terrible… cheating on Al with his brother… it doesn't get much worse than that, huh?"

"It's okay," Alphonse replied as he walked over. Christin held her breath. Was he watching? Did he know? "…because I've been cheating on you."

"What?" she asked. Alphonse waved dismissively and began walking in the direction of the house. "Al, what are you talking about?"

"Let's break up," he said bluntly.

"Al… I don't understand…" Christin ran after him and grabbed his arm. She stopped when he looked at her. Did his eyes always look so… cold? Heartless, even? What was going on? She felt that awful twinge in her chest again and started coughing. For a split second, she saw Alphonse grin at her pain. Then he promptly turned and left.

"Things aren't going to get easier, are they?" Edward asked rhetorically. He saw Christin hurt expression and sighed. "I'll go talk to him; don't worry."

* * *

"You're really serious about this, huh?" Katie asked later that night.

"With things the way they are, it'd be bad for me to stick around any longer. I need some space…" Christin sighed. "I just need to get away from everyone so I can sort out my feelings."

"Master…" Saru started.

"Saru, I want you to stay here with Ed when I go, okay?" Christin asked more than ordered.

"What about Al?" the shikigami asked.

"You heard him earlier…" was all she said.

"Hey, where're you going?" Edward asked as she passed him in the hall.

"I'm… going for a walk. I don't know when I'll be back, but when I am, I'm going to Creta with Standing Bear," she replied rather glumly.

"What?!" Edward cried. "Why?!"

"So I can figure out what I want! Bad things always seem to happen when I'm around… if I go away you won't have to worry about me so much; you can get on with your life!" she turned around to face him. "I'm really, really confused and I just need some space, okay?"

"That's no reason to just up and leave! See, that's one of your flaws; you never think things through," he snapped. "… and others have to suffer for it."

"I don't care! I know that I'm being selfish and I just don't care!! I'm going to do what I want, even if the entire universe disapproves! And if that means leaving, then…" she fled the house, running away in a random direction as fast as she could. The sky was tinged with a darkened rainbow of colors when she finally stopped and slipped down a hill, landing in the river at the bottom. Then she just lay there and stared blankly at the darkening sky.

* * *

"She left?! Where did she go?!" Alphonse cried. He had felt really bad about that afternoon and wanted to apologize.

"I… don't know. We had an argument and… she just took off running," Edward sighed.

"Why did you let her go? She doesn't know where she's going; she could get lost or worse!" Alphonse exclaimed.

"Dang it, Al, you're not the only one who cares! In case you haven't noticed, I have feelings too!" Edward burst.

"I'm not blind, brother! I _know_… I _know_ that you're in love with her, but I am too! And it's only making everything worse!" he clutched his head in his hands. "Even the thought of another guy even _liking_ her makes me angry… I just don't know what to do anymore…" he sobbed.

"Looks like we're both clueless. First, we'll go look for her; then we'll try to sort this out," Edward sighed. Alphonse wiped his face and nodded. He barely knew left from right anymore. How could one person turn his life upside-down _and_ inside-out all at once, while still making everything make perfect sense?

He borrowed the bicycle of a patient who had dropped by for a maintenance check on his arm and began pedaling away in one direction while Edward started walking in the other. It was close to nine-thirty, but the huge not-so-full-as-it-was-a-few-nights-ago-but-still-very-full moon illuminated everything with its comforting bluish-white glow. It was near the end of June now, making it a very warm evening and soon enough he was sweating. He kept riding for who knew how long before he stopped by the edge of the river and just sat there watching the ripples on the water reflect the moonlight. The sound of ice cracking caught his attention. Further up the river, something large and white was approaching slowly. After a while he could make out a figure walking on what looked like ice, though it was far too hot for the river to freeze over. He walked the bike along the edge and soon enough was able to distinguish floating orbs that could've been giant stars and the person creating them.

"Need a lift?" he called. Christin looked up sharply and the ice broke, leaving her standing knee deep in the water. The star-things dissipated and she waded to the bank.

"What makes you offer?" she asked rather dejectedly.

"I want to apologize for earlier," he replied.

"You don't have to. I did wrong, so I deserved it," she said as she climbed up the hill. "Well, while it wasn't exactly cheating, I was fooling around with Ed. You deserve better than me."

"I don't want better," he stated. Did wasn't better, exactly… she was about the same as Christin, only… he had to keep her a secret. He waved her over and climbed back on the bike. Saru floated nearby, watching how the scene would play out. "… and I don't deserve better. I should be grateful I'm alive, after what brother and I did."

"I've been meaning to ask you about your past, but I keep forgetting to. I know that you guys are hiding some big secret or something, but I can't remember what," she sat side-saddle-style behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Remember?" he repeated. "I've never told you anything. Did brother say something?"

"No, no. It's like… there's this empty space in my memory. I keep feeling like there's something I should remember, but I don't know what it is. It's like my memory was erased," she admitted.

"You want to elaborate on that?" he asked gently.

"Back in my world, I was obsessed with something. I think it was a book or a T.V. show or a movie or something… maybe all three based on the same story and characters, I don't know. Whatever it was, I quickly became obsessed with it; I made it my reason for living, sorta. I can't remember very well."

"You know that song you sing sometimes?" Alphonse inquired.

"Well, I sing lots of songs. You'll have to be more specific," Christin grinned a bit.

"The… what's it called… kyoudai or something, the one about the brothers?" he recalled.

"Oh, the one that had no lyrics when it's playing by itself?" she asked.

"Yeah that one," he grinned. "Brother had a bit of a meltdown when he first heard you sing it because… it's very much about our past."

"Please tell me," she pleaded. He skidded to a stop and they sat on a wall over the river.

Christin hung onto his every word as he told of how Edward lost his arm and leg and how he nearly died and the horrible plot they had been involved in. He started with his mom's death and spun the story from there: trying to transmute her, losing his body to the gate, Edward losing his leg and giving up his arm to attach his brother's soul to a suit of armor, the Homunculi, their search for the Philosopher's Stone, finding it and nearly dying again, Edward being sent to the other side of the Gate, then him coming back and that woman who wanted to conquer their world, then him going back through the Gate to close it on the other side.

"I hid in a suit of armor and followed him. We had been living in Germany for a few months before we met you. You know the rest of the story from there," he finished.

"That must've been awful… going through all that. I had no idea. I feel so dumb," she kicked a stray pebble.

"I don't know why you'd feel dumb. You had no involvement until after everything happened. Neither of us knew that the other existed until that day," he chuckled.

"But what's weird is that it sounds so familiar. I feel like I should know these things and I _don't_ know why. You, Ed, Winry, everybody… you all seem so familiar to me and I _can't remember_… I don't know why you seem so familiar. It's like I've known you before, but I don't remember ever seeing you until a year and a half ago," she mused, scuffing up the dirt with her shoes and creating a small dust storm. "Maybe it's…"

"Maybe it's what?" he prompted.

"Your voice… you sound an awful lot like Ion Fortuna from the Trinity Blood anime. Maybe that's why you're familiar to me. And Winry sounds like another Trinity Blood character, and Ed sounds kinda like this one pervert guy in my Nadesico movie. Then again, it's possible that I'm just tweaking," she grinned sheepishly.

"I still don't know what that word means," Alphonse sighed.

"I think it's a cross between freaking and twitching," she replied.

"Okay, now that you two have patched things up, let's go home," Saru interceded.

"Hey, Saru, put on some mood music, huh?" Alphonse suggested. It was no secret that Saru could play the music she stored when she was just a machine. He couldn't count how many times the shikigami had played appropriate music when a situation developed. Oftentimes the little creature could be found outside, playing upbeat music while Christin was learning how to control her powers with the chief.

"Alright!" she chirped, "Time for bike riding song!" Boa's Every Heart played as the two alternated pedaling back home.

"Umm, Al?" Christin asked.

"Hm?" he replied.

"I'm… going away, you know. Standing Bear wants me to go to Creta… so I can learn more about… what I am," she confessed, "and what I can do."

Alphonse nearly steered the bike off the main road. "Why? Can't you do that here?"

"There's more… I need time to think. About my feelings. I figured it'd be best if I went away to do that, so no one else gets pulled into this mess I've created. I'm sorry that you got involved," she whispered. "I know you have feelings for me, but…"

"It's not just a feeling, Christin. I'm in love with you. You're the most confusing, irritating, annoying, funny, talented, wonderful girl I've ever met. And I'm in love with you," he replied so easily Christin was shocked. "And brother feels the same way." He added.

"See, that's where this thing gets complicated. I'm in love with you, Alphonse, but… please don't get mad at me, but I'm in love with Edward too," she buried her face in his shirt.

"Wow… you're really serious about this, huh?" he chuckled.

"Me no get it," she replied.

"The only time I've heard you use our full names is when you're deadly serious. Well, apart from teasing and/or screaming at us, but there's something in your voice that's different when you're serious," he hopped off the bike and traded places with her.

"I guess I went farther than I thought…" Christin grumbled. "Sorry." She finished the last stretch home. Edward greeted them at the door.

"Well, things look better," he commented. Something in Christin' smirk tipped him off that she had another weird and possibly stupid idea.

"For now, at least. I've made a decision… a sort of temporary solution to our love triangle," she announced.

"Dear god…" Edward sighed.

"Both of you will be my boyfriends," she smiled.

"What?" they answered flatly. Surely they had heard her wrong.

"Oh come on, I can totally handle two guys," she waved her hand dismissively.

"I'm really scared to ask, but… how do you plan to 'handle' the both of us?" Alphonse asked, turning light pink.

"Think about it; I'm sure you'll figure it out," she sang as she wandered upstairs.

Alphonse couldn't reach a conclusion, but Edward did. He told his brother and both of them turned about twenty shades of red.

"That's nasty!" he cried. "Suddenly I'm not too keen on this whole 'polyamorous' thing…"

* * *

As luck would have it, a thunderstorm struck in the middle of the night. Christin was terrified of thunder and spent an hour cowering under her blankets before she got up and began wandering around the house.

"Well, well… scared of thunder, are we?" Edward teased when Christin clung to the frame of the door to his room.

"No," she sassed, sticking out her tongue. Thunder shook the house. "I mean yes!!" she corrected in a loud whisper.

"What?" Edward asked. Christin stood just inside the door and when the lightning flashed he saw that she was blushing. "Oh, you can't be serious. All right, come here," he sighed.

"Sorry. I'm such a baby," she said as she crawled into bed next to him.

"You're nineteen years old and you can't sleep by yourself during a storm. I'd say that's pretty immature," he chuckled as Christin curled up next to him. He wrapped his arm around her torso and slept lightly, comforting her each time she started panicking.

Alphonse, meantime, was busy doing what he had wanted to do with 'Didi' ever since he first dreamt about her. And he did not feel guilty, nor did he worry about what any one else would think. He was doing what he wanted to do, and it made him very, very happy.

* * *

_A/N: Whoa. I didn't see that one coming. Alphonse is growing up…and it's only going to get worse. Betrayal, death, explosions and much, much more in the next chapters. Also, if you have any ideas for a situation that you want to see the characters put through, let me know and I'll see what I can do. I don't know how many chapters the story will be, so it'll end where it ends, I guess… until chapter 21… read, review, and take my poll. Olny six people have voted! Come on, where's the love for Al? Only, like, one person voted for him, poor guy... well, it seems like a majority of you want her to end up with Ed. We'll see what heppens._


	21. My Polyamorous Friends

21: My Polyamorous Friends

Alphonse woke up slowly the next morning. Memories of the previous night inundated him and he slapped his hands to his cheeks. What did he _do_? Oh… he was going to be in big trouble if anyone found out… particularly Edward. Christin… well, she probably wouldn't care _as much_ as Edward, but… with that temper of hers, who knows what she'd do. He shivered at the thought as he fished out suitable clothes from his dresser, wrapping his blanket around his waist like a towel. He stumbled downstairs and blinked a few times. Was it him… or was there a strange guy sitting at the table?

"That's what he looks like. If you ever meet him, kick his ass for me," Christin instructed, handing the guy with shaggy hair the cooler of ashes mixed with honey a piece of paper.

"Will do. So… I guess I'll see you around?" he stood up and scratched the back of his head.

"I guess. Hopefully. Now go out and do whatever," she said as she waved him off.

"Who was that?" Alphonse asked when the guy left.

"Oh… remember how I was pregnant with that bastard's kid? Well, I felt _**really**_ bad about just killing it, so I sped up its growth and poof! There's Marcus," she replied. "He didn't do anything wrong, unlike that loser-brains Robin, so he should be able to live. I downloaded everything I know about Amestris, and some stuff Edward knows too, so he wouldn't have to stick around for forever. Anyways, I feel much better about it now."

"How did you do that?" Alphonse asked.

"I dunno, really. I just kinda… if you had read Ceres: Celestial Legend, you'd get it better but, I really just put him in a special bubble and made him grow up in about a week and a half. That's it in a nutshell," she grinned.

"Ugh… my skull feels like it's been beaten with a frozen slab of meat…" Edward groaned as he hauled himself off the ground.

"Sorry, geez. I'm still learning so cut me some slack," Christin sassed.

"You look different," Edward noted as he sized up his brother. "What'd you do?"

"H-huh?" Alphonse replied. "N-nothing, brother, why?"

"I dunno. You just look… different," he shrugged. "What's wrong, you couldn't sleep either?"

"Shut it," Christin growled.

"What?" Alphonse replied.

"She couldn't sleep because of the storm. She kept… meowing," Edward teased.

"I did not!" Christin protested.

"You did too! You acted like a five year old would, all scared and unable to sleep by yourself," he smirked.

"You're scared of thunder Christin?" Sheska asked, dropping a suitcase near the door.

"You going somewhere?" Edward asked.

"I'm going back to Central," she nodded. "Mustang called and he sounded pretty urgent."

"Ah ha ha ha… yeah, I'm going outside…" Christin laughed nervously.

"Wait just a minute young lady. He had quite a few things to say about you. He told me that the entire city is in an uproar because of you, and half the population thinks you caused the destruction ad HQ while the other half thinks it was just faulty building and you died," Sheska reported. "He said to tell you that you're in big trouble if you're still alive."

"I'm going to leave the country now…" Christin grabbed a shovel from a pile of tools in the backyard and strode a fair distance away before she started digging.

"What are you doing?" Pinako asked.

"I'm digging a tunnel to China!" Christin replied.

"China is back across the Gate, you know," Edward called.

"Exactly!!" she called back. "That way I won't have to get grounded or something…"

"Christin, I have a special mission for you today," Standing Bear announced as he entered the room. She groaned and turned around.

"What?" she drawled.

"See that mountain over there?" the chief pointed to a mountain. Christin nodded. "There is a flower there that makes delicious tea when brewed. I want you to go get it."

"Can't you do that by yourself? You've got god-powers too, you know," she mentioned.

"Off with you. Oh, and no flying or teleporting!" he added as she ambled away, cursing everything that entered her mind under her breath.

"She can fly?" Kelsie asked, dropping her own luggage near Sheska's.

"She is a Kali'rah. She can do virtually anything," the old man nodded. Edward studied him closely. Something seemed different about this guy too. Like he wasn't himself. Sure, he'd torture Christin by over working her, but he'd never do something so… suspicious. Something was going on and he didn't know what, and that really irritated him.

* * *

"That bastard didn't even say what it looked like!!" Christin raged when she was halfway up the mountain. "'Something is fishy,' Christin declared as she hiked up the mountain, pondering just why the fuck she's doing it and why she's started narrating to herself.'"

"My, my, my, you really are as crazy as everyone says," Deceit giggled. "Maybe that's why my slaves find you so… enticing."

"Who are you?" Christin asked.

"I guess you could say that I'm your worst nightmare, although it sounds terrible cliché," she crooned. "I've come to make your life a living hell, doppelganger." Her voice dropped dangerously low and her strange purple-green eyes flashed darkly.

"Oh great… more shit to put up with. And you still didn't answer my question," Christin groaned.

"My name is Deceit. I am a Homunculus," Deceit giggled. "If you don't know what that is, just go ask your boyfriend."

"I know what a Homunculus is… kinda. It's when a transmutation on a human goes wrong and a beast is created. I'm not stupid," Christin spat.

"Well then, let's get right to it if you know everything," Deceit proposed. She hopped gracefully out of the tree she perched in, a ribbon of black light extending from her fingers. Almost instantly a glittery white barrier formed around Christin as Deceit sent the light zooming at her in the form of arrows that reminded Christin an awful lot of the arrows Von Kampfer shot at Abel Nightroad in one of the Overcount episodes of Trinity Blood. Deceit dashed at her quickly, her own black barrier colliding with Christin's and sending both black and white lightning bolts into the air.

"What are you doing?!" Christin cried.

"I'm doing whatever the hell I want. I need to have people under my control. I want control… I want Envy to be proud of me… I want you to suffer!" Deceit screamed. "That's why I got close to Alphonse! You have everything I want… everything I need… everything that should be mine!!"

"What?!" Christin screeched as Deceit back-stepped. "Look, I don't even know you!"

"That's because I'm not supposed to exist. You were never supposed to come to this world. I was born of Robin McLean's desires for his dead lover. You came here because of your desire to leave the life you thought was hell. Ever since I was born, I wanted people to know who I am… who I was… I wanted to be loved and surrounded by friends. I never got that. Then you show up outta the blue and get everything without even trying. It makes me sick," Deceit lamented.

'She sounds… like I used to… that uncontrollable desire to get everything… and feeling worthless unless I get noticed by everyone…' Christin thought. "Wait, you got Al? How?" she asked, shaking her head.

"I used him. My name says it all. I lie, deceive, use people… just like you doppelganger," she chuckled. "Don't lie to me; I can tell when someone's lying, just like you. That's the only thing that's the same about us… our selfish desires and lying to get what we want."

"No… I'm not like that," Christin said through gritted teeth.

"Yes you are. Think about poor Alphonse… how you used him when you were feeling bad about yourself. And Edward… how he's just a replacement for when Al's not nearby. Everyone around you gets used, then thrown away when you don't need or want them anymore," Deceit giggled maniacally

'She's right… I do use people… I manipulate them to get what I want...' Christin stalled. "That doesn't make me a bad person1 Yes it's wrong, but my mind snapped a long time ago! I can't think that everything's all magical rainbows and unicorns and 'happily ever after' any more. It's not my fault!!" Deceit formed a scythe out of black ribbons and struck Christin's barrier.

"But you still act badly. You're even so stupid as to abandon your so-called friends when danger was right behind you the entire time," Deceit crooned. "I wonder if the real old man will be waking up soon."

As realization of her foolishness dawned, she turned and fled as fast as she possibly could back to the yellow house. She _knew_ something was wrong with Standing Bear! Why didn't she notice? Was she really that blind? She was a being with supreme powers… she was a goddess, really. People had been after her power before… they wouldn't stop after a few weeks or even a few months. No, people like that wouldn't stop until they either got it or died trying. She had even been controlled by someone else and hurt a friend. Edward, Alphonse, everyone was getting hurt because of her. It was all _her_ fault… and she knew that better than anyone else. She had started this torturous cycle and now she was going to end it—no matter what it cost.

* * *

"I thought you died when you were used to open the Gate!" Edward exclaimed. He cradled his left shoulder and watched as Envy licked blood from his hand.

"You thought wrong, Edward Elric. I'm back and I want revenge for what you did to me," the Homunculus hissed.

"Edward!! Alphonse!!" Christin's voice called from a distance. He swiveled his head around to see what looked like a large white bubble running towards him, pursued by a black bubble of about the same size. Each time the bubbled clashed, black and white lightning snapped in the air.

"What are you doing? Don't come any closer; I don't want you to get hurt!" he cried. He inhaled a shaky breath as something pierced his abdomen.

"Ah, you gained control of him rather quickly, Deceit," Envy surveyed the situation.

"I hate you brother," Alphonse said as he withdrew his hand from Edward's back. "She was supposed to be mine, but of course you had to get in the way. It was after dancing with you that Christin got raped. You just had to fall in love with her, didn't you?"

"A-Al?" Edward gasped.

"He's a vulnerable boy. Manipulation was so easy with this one…" Deceit sauntered over to him. "You've done well, Alphonse."

"Who are you? You look very familiar," the young alchemist studied her closely.

"Oh, I forgot you've never seen me without my ribbon," she pulled out a red ribbon and tied it around her forehead. "Is this better?"

"Didi… you're a Homunculus?" Alphonse breathed.

"Very good, Alphonse. You get a cookie," she said with mock pride. "Oh, don't worry. I'll take good care of you. After all, isn't that what lovers do?"

"Alphonse… you're in love with… a Homunculus?" Edward croaked. Familiar hands touched his wound through his blood stained shirt and he felt the spot where Alphonse's hand punctured him seal up like it had never happened.

"I can't remove the scar that will be left," Christin murmured as she finished healing his back and moved to his arm.

"Well, well, you do look like each other. I thought Deceit might be lying again. I guess I was wrong," Envy sighed. Edward flinched as fire burst right next to him. Christin pulled back and clutched her arm, trying to heal the burns she had just received.

"You… I hate you too, Christin." Alphonse declared. "You were using me, weren't you? As a way to feel better about yourself? I'm done being your puppet," he said as he aimed another fireball at her.

"Al, listen to me. It's not like that," Christin pleaded.

"I loved you!!" he screamed. "I was devoted to you… everything I did was for you! I wanted to make you happy! I wanted you to love me back! Why was that so hard?!" several patches of ground caught on fire from his repeated attacks.

"Alphonse, _please_…" Christin started.

"Shut up! I'm sick of being the only one who cares! I hate you! You loved brother, who never gave you the time of day, more than you loved me! Ever since I first met you, I've stayed by your side because I wanted to protect you! You were strong, I'll admit that, but you were stupid too! You never once told me that you loved me!" he screeched. "Was I not enough? Was I not good enough for you?"

"Alphonse, listen to me…" Christin sobbed. She could barely see through the tears that flooded her eyes, but she saw, clearer than ever, the destruction her selfishness had caused.

Alphonse was a good kid. Yes, she had used him. Now she was paying for it. She felt awful enough to die. In fact, she should die. She had ruined the lives of everyone she had come across in one way or another. She had caused a whole bunch of trouble for Roy and the others at HQ. She had gotten Kelsie and everyone at the house involved. She had gotten both Edward and Alphonse tangled up in this mess too. Everything was her fault. Her death would be an equivalent exchange, right? She would disappear and things would go back to normal…

"Make me understand! Why didn't you love me?!" Alphonse cried, tears streaming down his face. How could he _ever_ have loved someone who was so… heartless? He didn't need her anymore; he had Deceit. So what is she was a Homunculus? He loved her, and he had more than proven that.

"Alphonse, stop it!!" Edward yelled. Christin dropped down on one knee, her left arm cradled by her right.

Her mostly healed wounds opened up again, the intricate lacing of the tracks that were cut into her skin to remove what was now Saru dripping red blood down her limb and pooling on the ground. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw fire. The fire that Alphonse had conjured up and shot at her had caught on the nearby grass. Being the end of June, the grass was very dry and was now blazing brilliant yellow-orange.

"Al..." Edward coughed. All around him was a wall of fire. He wiped blood out of his eye and tenderly touched a wound on his head, wincing from the pain. It was getting very difficult to breathe and he slumped to his knees, coughing badly.

"Christin?" Winry emerged from the house, despite everyone's warnings to stay away from the fight. She watched as the girl doubled over and began coughing in a very nasty, wet sort of way. Blood splattered on the ground and oozed from her stomach. After coughing up perhaps a cup of blood, she looked up. Edward had vanished behind the flames, which were only growing higher and more intense. Heat radiated from the area and seared her skin. She watched for a moment, mesmerized by the flickering dance of orange and yellow light.

"Ooh, what will you do now, huh?" Deceit teased. "What power are you going to use to stop the fire, doppelganger?"

Edward drew ragged breaths and clawed at his chest. The pain wouldn't go away and now his vision was getting blurry. He coughed again and stared blankly into the blaze.

Christin forced herself off the ground and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. The bitter taste of her blood still lingered on her tongue though she had spit most of it out. Before she could make up her mind about what to do, she ran into the fire.

"What is she doing?!" Envy cried.

"This is bad. If she dies in the fire, everything we've worked for will be for naught!" Deceit ground her teeth together. Alphonse let a small smile slide across his features.

Edward heard something coming towards him. He tried to sit up, at least, but toppled over as he nearly blacked out. He could just barely distinguish Christin's figure as she burst through the flames, burnt and bleeding badly, and caressed him. He felt himself getting better; his vision returned to normal, he found it easier to breathe, and it wasn't as hot as it was a few moments ago. He quickly clapped and touched the ground, drawing up water that was in the earth to extinguish the fire.

"I think we've done enough here…" Envy sniffed. He turned and began morphing into a horse. Deceit and Alphonse followed.

"Al?" Edward called after him. "What are you doing?"

"There's no reason for me to stay here any longer," Alphonse replied.

"Al! Alphonse!" Edward cried after his brother as he mounted the Envy-horse and vanished into the coming darkness.

Embers smoldered in the fading light, casting a dull orange glow on everything while the scent of smoke and burnt grass drifted away on the air. Christin was in a terrible state, trembling badly and coughing up more blood. Her chest hurt unbearably and she couldn't see straight. She felt her strength drain away more with each passing moment. People's voices reached her ears, but she couldn't tell them apart. Someone was holding her… no… they were supporting her because she didn't have the strength to do it herself.

"Christin? Christin, are you okay?" Edward asked, panic welling up in his throat. She was very cold, shivering and/or trembling, and badly burned. Her skin was as pale as the crescent moon that hung overhead, contrasted to the blood that stained her lips and body, and her breathing was dangerously shallow. He wrapped his arms around her as best as he could, trying to support her weight. He watched in horror as her eyes changed from sparkly hazel to dull, glassy green. The hand that clung to his blood stained shirt so desperately loosened its grip. He shifted her, very gently, and pressed two fingers to her neck; he couldn't find her pulse. Choking back tears, he pressed his head to her chest.

Her heart wasn't beating anymore.

* * *

_A/N: Alrighty then. I've wanted to write this chapter for a while. Don't get mad at me; Christin's fate will be revealed in the next chapter. What other drama awaits our beloved Edward? His brother turns to the dark side and the woman he loves… well, you'll have to wait for chapter 22. _

_Oh, the title is told from Edward's perspective and it's basically about the Alphonse-Christin-Deceit love triangle and him being caught in the middle. It's from Breaking Benjamin's 'Polyamorous' so shut up and go with it._

_My computer is being retarded so I can't upload the manga to my website, so please bear with me. Until chapter 22…_


	22. Moment

22: Moment

Edward ran his hands through his hair for the zillionth time in the past ten minutes. There was only so much he could bear. His brother had fallen in love with a Homunculus, attacked him, tried to kill Christin (and nearly succeeded) then abandoned him. Christin had tried to save his life and now… now he wasn't sure what was going on. He tenderly touched his forehead. The bandage over his skin was cold and kind of itchy.

"Edward, you okay?" Saru asked as she flew slowly over to him. "You know, my master's to stubborn to die like this. She told me how she wanted to die, one time, and it is not this way." She sat down on his knee. "Dying like this is just giving up, and you know she hates giving up, at least without a fight."

"For her sake I hope you're right…" he muttered. He scanned the room for the millionth time in his life, his eyes resting on a piano. Had that always been there? No, he remembered that a patient had been delivering it to someone when their leg malfunctioned. They had brought it inside to shield it from the storm a while ago. He got up and walked over to it, letting his human hand glide across the polished ebony surface. Without thinking, he pulled out the bench and sat down. The ivory keys were cold against his skin.

"Saru," he said. The shikigami flew over to him. "Play that 'apology' song for me." The cat-monkey-girl nodded and started playing "Apologize" by One Republic and Timbaland. "After the first chorus he held up a hand: "that's enough. I think I can get it right…" he gently pressed the keys, churning out the simple tune that was the core of the song.

"Edward?" Saru started.

"_I'm holding on a rope, got me ten feet off the ground…"_

"Winry, I need you to get what I told you to make," Standing Bear ordered. Christin rested on a bed, swathed from head to toe in bandages. While it did not look like she was breathing, she was; it was just so shallow she almost stopped. Her blood was still circulating, but her heart had failed. If something wasn't done soon, she might not live much longer.

_"And I'm hearing what you say, but it just don't make a sound. You tell me that you need me, then you go and cut me down, but wait…"_

Winry hurried into the main room and stopped. Edward was singing. It was odd seeing him so… sentimental. Also, he was playing the piano. She had never seen him do that. She opened her mouth to speak, but Saru stopped her.

"Let him play. My master needs to hear it," she whispered. Winry felt her heart clench but nodded. She grabbed a small box from the bookcase and hurried back to the room she needed to be in.

"_Tell me that you're sorry; didn't think I'd turn around and say it's too late to apologize. It's too late. It's too late to apologize. It's too late…"_

"Are you sure we should do this? She's lost so much blood… if we operate she might…" Winry bit her lip and shook her head. "I don't even know if it will work… I've never made an automail heart before, I just followed the designs you gave me…"

"But she needs it! Without that, she'll…" Kelsie didn't have the nerve to finish. She had just realized that her friend might very well be comatose... or possibly worse.

"It'll be fine. I will lead the operation," Standing Bear stood firm.

"_I'd take another chance, take a fall, take a shot for you. I need you like a heart needs a beat; it's nothing new. Yeah…"_

Edward closed his eyes and focused on remembering the lyrics as he almost mechanically kept playing the core tune of the song. It was the only one he could sing entirely from memory. He just hoped Christin could hear it. If she just… vanished all of a sudden… he didn't know what he'd do. He had come to like her much, much more than he realized. His growing affection had been so gradual that he hadn't noticed it until now… when there was a possibility that she might… leave.

"_I loved you with a fire red now it's turning blue, and you say: sorry lord, the angel heaven let me think was you, but I'm afraid it's too late to apologize, it's too late. Said it's too late to apologize, it's too late…"_

* * *

Christin was very lonely. Not only that, she was scared too. It was very dark and cold and she didn't know where she was. No matter how far she walked in any direction, she never ran into anything, no walls or people.

_**What happened to me?**_ She thought, her words materializing in the air in front of her. _**That's right… I saved Ed, but… I don't remember what happened after that…**_ she stood there idly; wondering what was going to happen next when a very familiar voice broke through the deafening silence.

"_It's too late to apologize, it's too late. I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late. It's too late to apologize, yeah… I said it's too late to apologize, yeah… I'm holding on a rope, got me ten feet off the ground…"_

_**Edward!!**_ She cried. Was he here too? Where was he? Why didn't he come find her? She watched as her 'printed' thoughts dispersed and a giant moon rose in the blackness, casting its blue glow over the abyss in which she stood. Her body began moving on its own and she ran towards it, a light at the end of the tunnel.

* * *

Edward sighed heavily as he stopped playing. What was he doing? Geez, that girl really had an effect on him… now that he thought about it, the music she liked wasn't as bad as he thought it was when he first met her. Actually, everything that he had once found annoying, he now loved. …love? Was this what it meant… to love someone?

Christin's third operation in less than a month went by much quicker than anyone had expected. That was probably because Standing Bear used his powers to speed things along. Then again, time was of the essence. If the work wasn't done quickly, Christin might never wake up.

Winry watched carefully. She wanted to see the mechanical heart she made actually work, and part of her doubted it would. As Standing Bear finished attaching Christin's veins and arteries, she watched as a small spark of white light zipped across the machine and it whirred to life. A relieved smile spread across her face.

* * *

Something buzzed in Christin's chest. She felt gears clicking together and her body felt prickly. After a few minutes, the coldness caressing her insides went away.

_**Oh… I was dead. That's why I feel tickly inside… my heart must be pumping my blood through my body again… but… why does my chest feel heavier? **_She pressed an icy hand to her chest. Something wasn't just beating… it was… it was operating much like a machine. The moon hung ever larger over her head. She looked at it longingly, wondering what happened to Alphonse. She wanted to wake up, but her doubt kept her in the darkness.

* * *

"Edward…" Pinako started. He jumped up from his seat, knocking over the piano bench.

"Granny?" Saru asked. She had never called the old woman by her name, using only he term 'Granny'.

"She's alive, but…" the old woman frowned, creating more wrinkles on her aged face.

"But what?" he pressed.

"She's comatose. We can't wake her up, and any sedatives we gave her would've worn off by now." Pinako finished grimly.

"What?" he breathed. He clenched his fists and dashed into the room. There she was, resting peacefully on her bed. If he hadn't heard what Pinako had just told him, he might think she was sleeping. But he was no fool; he knew better. He winced when he saw the new scar on her chest.

Winry felt her heart clench again. She had always known that she never stood a chance with Edward, but finally coming to terms with it was hard. He obviously loved her; she could tell by the way he looked at her. One lone tear rolled down her cheek a she turned and left him alone. Yes, she argued with Christin, but underneath that she really liked her. She was funny and stupid and… truly a unique character. And on some level, she was glad that Edward chose Christin to fall in love with. She would keep him smiling.

"You can't hear me, can you," Edward sighed as he sat on the edge of her bed. "I don't care. I still need to talk to you." He smoothed her hair out of her face.

He heard something in her chest and leaned his head closer. It sounded a bit like a machine. His eye fell on some papers scattered on the table next to her bed and picked one up. They were design specs for a heart.

"I get it. Your heart failed and they gave you a new one. That doesn't matter you know. You still can have feelings. Remember when we first met? God, I thought you were so annoying, and I hated almost everything you did because it was so strange to me. But… time went on and the things you did weren't as strange. You still talked weird, but I got used to it. I'm sorry I hit you when you got in that fight with Noa. I shouldn't have done that, even though you probably deserved it.

"I guess I didn't realize that I had actually started liking you until our first kiss. It just went downhill from there. I made myself a promise to _not_ be attracted to you… look how well that worked out… but… I don't regret anything. Even after all the crap you've put us through… put me through… I still wanna stay with you. Sure, you're flawed, but look at me. It's not your time to die. You, of all people, deserve to live."

He scooted over a bit and stretched out, putting his lips near her ear and clasping her hand in his and squeezed it lovingly.

"Christin, I love you. Please don't leave me," he whispered so his voice wouldn't break. He heard his tears hit the pillow beneath his head as they squished out from his closed eyes.

They flew open when he heard something. At least… he thought he heard something.

"I made you cry. I never thought I'd see that," Christin croaked. Edward sat up and looked at her. Her eyes flickered open, the fickle hazel color shimmery with her won tears. "Sorry… I'm always…" she inhaled a bit shakily, "…making people worry. I guess I can't help it." She grinned sheepishly.

"You idiot…" Edward breathed, "… I was so scared… I thought I was gonna lose you…"

He hung his head and sobbed. Christin reached up and smoothed his hair, and he collapsed on top of her and cried himself out.

"Aw, it's okay. I'm too stubborn to die from something like this," she giggled.

"That's what Saru said," Edward chortled.

"Don't worry. Everything's going to be okay… where's Al?" she asked. "Did he go with the Homunculi?"

"What? How'd you…" he started, his voice wobbly because he was still crying.

"Al told me everything. I'll get him back, okay?" she replied, pressing a finger to his lips.

"I love you…" he whimpered, burying his face in the crook of her neck. No matter how many times he repeated it, he felt like it was never enough to convey just how much he loved her.

"I love you, too," she whispered, stroking his hair. "Get some sleep; it's been a long day." Before he knew it he had drifted off. He woke up to something brushing against his lips. Christin's face slowly came into focus as he woke up. "Morning," she grinned.

"Hey," he replied, shifting his head a bit.

"Not to be mean or anything, but would you kindly let go of my breast?" she asked politely. He flexed his left hand and instantly jerked it away, turning bright red in the process.

"Sorry…" he mumbled, looking away. Christin laughed softly.

"It's okay. It's just that there's a shikigami that's a bit too young to witness such a scene," she growled. The bell Saru tied around her dark green ponytail tinkled as she flew away, tittering. Christin sat up with some difficulty, but was upright at the end.

"Wait, are you saying… that you'd let me…" he paused. Christin turned her head and looked at him.

"Maybe…" she grinned. "Ugh, I can't move very well…" she grumbled as she scooted to the edge of the bed.

"What are you doing?" Edward asked, tucking his hair behind his ears as it had come out of its braid.

"I told you I was going to Al back, right? I can't do that bedridden…" she mused as she stood up.

"Al…" Edward muttered to himself. Why _did_ Alphonse leave? What did he mean by that last statement? _'There's no need for me to stay here anymore' _

"But first I need to go to Creta. It wouldn't do to rush into battle without knowing how to use my powers very well. Wouldn't you agree?" she turned and grinned at him. He smiled back and nodded. She turned around and began humming Nickleback's 'Far Away'.

* * *

_A/N: bet I scared ya, didn't I? Don't worry; Christin is not going to die… hopefully. Totally kidding. i almost started crying whien i was writing the bulk of the chapter, where Edward's talking to Christin._

_Alrighty, I have some news for y'all. I will NOT be updating over X-mas vacation. Weird, I know, bet hell I won't be home and all my data is saved on the computer in my dining room and I'll be in Arizona over the next two weeks. Also, this ends part one. I'm going to cut up the story into three parts and I'll start the next one, which will be titled Far Away: God Hunt (it'll be published as a separate story), when I get back after New Year's and part three will be started after I finish part two. The chapters will pick up where part one left off, starting at 23 and going from there._

_Thanks for reading part one! See you in part two!_


	23. I Know Where I've Been

23: I Know Where I've Been

Edward patted the nose of the large brown horse, letting it get to know him. It had been eight months since he last saw Christin… and Alphonse for that matter. If he hadn't had his friends and family around, he might have gone insane. Standing Bear had taken her to Creta to hone her powers as a Kali'rah and Edward hadn't seen her since she left that morning.

* * *

"It's a horse," Christin said. Standing Bear nodded.

"Is there a problem?" Edward asked, watching as Christin slowly backed away from the huge animal. She grabbed his arm and whimpered when it nuzzled her.

"She's scared of a horse," Winry stated.

"That's just stupid," Sheska agreed.

"'Scuse me!" Christin snapped.

"All right, get on," Standing Bear instructed.

"I beg your pardon?" Christin replied. Ride it? He must be joking. "No."

"It's just a horse, master," Saru encouraged her.

"It's _huge_…" Christin enunciated. "I ain't getting on it."

"God, you can be every inch immature as you are mature," Edward grumbled as he started dragging her over. After a bit of struggling, she was astride the horse.

"W-what if I fall off?" she asked in a small voice.

"You'll be fine," Edward grinned.

"You'd leave me to die by being bucked off a crazed beast such as this? How heartless can you get?!" Christin wailed. Edward just laughed.

* * *

He smiled to himself as the memory played out. It was very warm for February, but he still wore his black jacket though he would probably be sweating by the time he reached the Creta-Amestris border. Still, he wanted to go. He wanted to see Christin, and he wanted his brother back.

"Now you be careful, you hear?" Pinako said from the driveway. Edward nodded briefly as he swung his leg over the horse's back. "And make sure you stop by before you go save your brother," she added. The man who was sent to guide Edward to the village Christin and Standing Bear were in motioned for him to follow. He was a fine young man, with shiny brown hair and sharp blue eyes. His name was Black Crescent, and he spoke English second best to the chief.

"You seem happy," he noted as the two men rode away.

"I do?" Edward asked stupidly.

"You look like a boy who is happy because he is going to see someone he loves," Black Crescent grinned.

"Right…" he turned his head and hid a blush. He bit his lip to keep from smiling.

"It is alright. Silent Dreamer had the same look on her face when I left to come escort you," he chuckled.

"Silent Dreamer?" Edward repeated. Who was that?

"Yes, well, everyone had a hard time pronouncing her name, so we dubbed her Silent Dreamer. Tell me honestly… does she always speak of idiotic subjects? Half of the tribe doesn't know what she's talking about, though she has mastered our language quite well," Black Crescent demurred.

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Edward chuckled.

* * *

"Is something wrong, Alphonse?" Deceit asked sweetly.

"I feel weird. A few years ago, my brother and I were fighting you Homunculi. I never thought I'd fall in love with one. I'm still adjusting I guess…" he sighed, stuffing his hands in his pockets. He had been living with the Homunculi for eight months now and knew every passageway and hall in the mansion. His aimless wandering wasn't really as aimless as he wanted it to be, but that couldn't be helped. He stopped in front of a large set of double doors that had always been locked.

"This room is for the princess. You cannot enter. You know that more than anyone," a female guard hissed.

"I wouldn't want to go in there anyways. I hate that girl," he spat. "…and anything related to her."

"But you yourself were related to her, at one point or another. Doesn't that include you?" Deceit asked.

"I was nothing to her. I wanted to be, that much is true, but I never got to be. She left herself open and was raped. I know it's wrong, but I can't seem to get past that," he shrugged.

"You're just a victim. What could you have done?" Deceit cooed, lacing her arm through his. "After all, it's partially the fault of your brother's too, is it not?"

"He always gets everything… I never stood a chance. He was the one who thought up the idea of bringing Mom back… and I paid the most for it." Alphonse growled. "He lost his leg. I lost my entire body. I almost died because of him. I bet the only reason he exchanged his arm for my soul was so he could have someone to help pin the blame on."

Deceit grinned. She could see the darkness growing in his heart. After all, she was the one who planted it there. All those hidden thoughts and feelings about being less than his brother were just fuel for the fire. Now he was dark; he hated Edward and Christin and feeling left out and used. Pity that he was _still_ being used. He was so charming…

"I hate that guy too… Robin… he ruined my relationship with Christin. It's not entirely her fault," he sniffed.

"Don't dwell too much on the past, darling. It will only make you hurt," she replied. She couldn't see what the other Homunculi, the old ones who died, found so appealing about being human. All that suffering and pain didn't seem worth it. She had enough of that before she became what she was now. She didn't much bother with feelings now… she had an inclination to do something and most times she went with it. She didn't care about consequences or regrets.

"Deceit, get over here," Envy ordered. The silver haired Homunculus skipped over to him. "Someone else is going to join our little team, and I need you to pick him up…" he grinned darkly.

"Ooh, are we making another one of us?" she giggled. Envy nodded and handed her a slip of paper.

"The fools who transmuted him were at this location. I think we might use him for Pride," the green-haired Homunculus muttered. "You can bring your puppet if you want. If he's going to work for our side, he better start doing his share…" he glared at the boy who almost looked like one of them. He wore long black pants and a black tank top that reflected orange when light hit it, and Deceit had tattooed an intricate tribal pattern on his upper left arm. She had asked if she could put the Ouroboros mark on him, but Envy said no. Alphonse was not a Homunculus… at least, not yet. Envy had thought up a plan, one that would get his revenge for all the Elric's did to him.

* * *

"The village is just through the trees," Black Crescent said.

"Everything is just through the trees…" Edward said. All he had been looking at for the past three hours was trees. One big lump of trees. Sure, there were exotic plants everywhere too, but jeez, wasn't there some kind of limit for how many trees could be in one jungle? He was surprised that the horses could maneuver through them so well. A low, guttural growling sound caught the attention of the two men.

"Move!!" Black Crescent cried, knocking Edward off his horse as a brightly colored leopard-like animal pounced on the horses, ripping out their throats with its extremely long teeth. "Stay very still. Any sudden movements will attract its attention."

"R-right…" Edward said, propping himself up on his elbows. He heard a twig snap when he sat up.

"Run," Black Crescent prompted as the beast turned to them and charged.

"What is that thing?" Edward panted as he ducked through the brush, trying to keep his companion in sight.

"Yavihk, the orchid leopard. Very temperamental and very violent. Have you not seen one before?" Black Crescent replied.

"No, we don't have animals like that in Amestris. Even chimeras don't look like that," Edward replied. He saw what he hoped was the village in front of them. Black Crescent was yelling in a strange language and he could faintly hear people mulling about in the village. A flash of purple and green darted right past him, followed quickly by more. The animal unleashed a howl of pain and anger. Oh, they were throwing spears at it. Why couldn't there be some metal around for him to transmute into a weapon? He was sure that his automail wouldn't stand up to a beast of that size; it was twice as big as he was. As luck would have it, he tripped just as they came to the perimeter of the village. Rolling onto his back, he raised his arms to shield his face as the great cat leapt for him. He closed his eyes and waited for impact… and waited… and waited. Why hadn't he been impaled yet? He opened his eyes and lowered his arms, though he didn't need to because he could see right through them. The leopard was whining and clawing at him, or rather… at the ground beneath him.

"Well, you certainly know how to make an entrance," Christin sneered. She moved her free hand (the one that wasn't on his shoulder) and pointed at the cat, a white thread of light extending from her fingers to its head. She began talking in a strange language and eventually the cat hung its head and bounded off into the jungle. She then turned to Edward. "What?"

"I can see right through you," he said. He reached out to touch her, but his transparent hand passed right through her face.

"I go away for eight months and that's the best greeting you can give me?" she stood up and he found that they were no longer see through. "For the record, that's not the coolest thing I learned how to do."

He stood up and smacked the dust off his pants and looked at Christin. Her hair had grown again and it had purple streaks in it. Her eyes looked a little different too. From a certain angle, they almost looked reflective like a cat's. He thought he saw something on her face, but denied it, as nothing visible was there. She was the same height as before they parted, but she looked a bit more muscular. Not freakishly buff like Armstrong or Sig, but she definitely had some defined muscles on her arms and legs. She wore a brightly colored skirt tied off at one hip, leaving her right leg exposed, and a close fitting black top. Before he could think, he hugged her.

"I missed you so much," he muttered. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him back. Her breathing was becoming irregular and he realized that she was crying.

"I'm so glad to see you again. I thought I was going to go insane, I missed you so much," she whispered. Her breath tickled his neck and made him tingly all over. All too soon, she pushed him away and wiped her face. Black Crescent turned to her and began speaking rapidly in that foreign language. She replied just as rapidly and pointed to a hut not far from where they stood.

"What's going on?" Edward asked.

"Oh, his wife's pregnant. Her name is Moon Willow. She was the first real friend a made here, besides the chief," she pointed to the hut where a young woman with glossy black hair emerged. "Come on, you've gotta meet her," Christin tugged on his hand and led him over to the couple. "Don't worry, she speaks English… a bit," she added.

"Is this the man you keep talking about?" the woman asked in choppy but comprehensible English.

"Luna, this is Edward. Ed, Moon Willow. Her nickname's Luna, so you can call her that if you want to," Christin introduced them to one another. Moon Willow extended her hand and Edward mimicked the motion, though he faltered a bit when she gripped his forearm instead of his hand. "That's how we greet people. We don't shake hands like normal people do in Amestris and stuff." A crowd of people, mostly young women ranging in age from sixteen to twenty-seven, flocked over to them and began staring at Edward. Christin snapped at them in their language. They replied to whatever she had said and she blushed. She barked a reply and they kept their distance.

"I didn't get any of that," Edward murmured to her. She turned to him and studied him for a brief moment.

"This may hurt a bit…" she said as she placed her hands on the sides of his face. She pulled his face closer to hers and pressed their foreheads together. Something stung his head sharply and he pulled away.

"What the hell?" he asked.

"Relax. I just transferred whatever I learned of their language into your brain so I don't have to constantly translate for you," she replied bluntly, using the foreign language. He blinked when he realized that he understood her perfectly.

"Oh… okay then… umm… right…" he stammered, placing a hand over his mouth when the foreign words came out of _his_ mouth this time.

"Alright then. Let's get moving!" she chirped, grabbing his hand again.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"I'm showing you around the village, silly. Can't have you getting lost out here. God, back when I first came here, I got lost for a week and a half. I spent the entire time up in a tree," she giggled.

"I can see how that would happen," he chuckled.

"The small huts are for the individual families. When someone gets married, they build a new hut for themselves, like the skeleton-ish one over there," she pointed to several stakes sticking out of the ground next to bundles of wood and plants. "The big one over there is the… I guess you could call it the morgue. It's where they prepare the dead for burial. It also doubles as the meeting house for the council, which is just a bunch of old dudes that decide what to do when a big decision needs to be made."

"What're those?" Edward pointed to two short but long structures.

"That's where we store food and such. The bigger one is for meat," here she grimaced, "…and the smaller one is for veggies and stuff. By the way, I don't eat meat anymore. And it's not because I like animals; it's because I hate plants. Besides, the animal meat here tasted really weird. You'll have some tonight at dinner," she waved her hand dismissively. "Over there is where the grown crops, like corn and wheat and whatnot, are grown, and right next to that is where the livestock is kept."

"That's livestock?" Edward asked, eyeballing the strange, colorful animals. Was everything here so colorful? Jeesh, it was like a rainbow threw up everywhere.

"Yeah yeah! The big ones with the freaky horn thingies are like cows, the poofy ones are like sheep, the tiny super-obese ones are like little piggies, and the birds are like the chickens," she grinned. "The reason everything is so colorful around here is because it's camouflage. See how the plants look like they're covered in rainbow barf? The animals adapted so that they blend in to hide from predators like the Yavihk that attacked you earlier. That's also why we dress in such colorful-verging-on-tacky clothes. I'll show you the jungle tomorrow and the Mahk'rah Doon as well. You look bored," she chuckled.

"Just tired. I spent the last week traveling and I haven't been sleeping very well," he yawned.

"Do you want to go take a nap? I'll come get you when it's time to eat," she asked. He rubbed his eyes and blinked sleepily.

"I'm fine," he assured her.

"Okay, if you say so…" she shrugged and resumed her tour. They covered the entire village, from the bathrooms to the main campfire where they ate. Christin ended it by leading him inside a hut and pointing to a bed.

"Sleep. You look like hell." Christin commanded.

"But…" he started.

"It's fine. I sleep here and everyone knows not to bother me when I'm in here. Technically you're kinda my prisoner of sorts, so you'll be fine. If anyone bugs you, let me know, 'kay?" she grinned and kissed him swiftly on the cheek before darting outside. He yawned again and it seemed like he had just fallen asleep when someone was waking him up. He blinked a few times and freaked out when he saw the glimmer of a cat's eye.

"Ah! Cat demon!" he panicked. A familiar smack on the side of his head corrected him.

"Well, that's a new one. Cat demon… I'll have to remember that," Christin tugged on his arm and he got up.

"Where are you taking me now?" he almost whined. He was very tired and wanted to go back to sleep.

"You know, I've never known you to turn down food, but if you're that tired I guess –" she was cut off by Edward practically floating to where food was roasting over a fire. He sat down next to the chief, who handed him a chuck of meat. Christin smiled to herself and was about to join them when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"He looks like a good man," Moon Willow stated.

"He is," Christin nodded. Something in the back of her mind kept repeating that she was in love with a man. Not just a guy, but a grown man of twenty-two. That notion made her feel very childish.

"You know that you are of age to marry him, according to the customs of the tribe," Moon Willow grinned.

"What? Y-you… do you think I should…" she floundered for words.

"I am merely stating the obvious. I was not implying that you should. That is a choice one must make on their own," the older woman chuckled.

Christin sighed as she sat down next to Edward. Moon Willow's words echoed in her head. _'You know that you are of age to marry him."_ She knew that she loved him, but… should she marry him? She had never been able to picture herself getting married and the thought scared her a bit. After people were married, they usually had to consummate it. She wasn't sure about that part. Yes, she had gotten over her rape, but the thought of another man touching her like that, even Edward, frightened her. What if, like Alphonse, he didn't want her because of that? Worse, what if he left her? She didn't think she would be able to stand it if things turned out like they had with Alphonse. Simply being away from him had nearly torn her apart. If he actually left… she didn't know what she would do. She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He looked the same as always; long blond hair pulled back in a braid, shiny leather pants, boots, black shirt and a black jacket with white trim. But… something seemed different about him. Or perhaps it was the way she perceived him. He wasn't just Edward anymore. Some part of her saw him as a man. Even though she was now twenty, she felt as silly and stupid as she had been when she was sixteen: she didn't know what she was getting into and she really didn't care.

Edward glanced to his left again. She was still staring at him weirdly. "Is there a problem?" he finally asked. She blinked a few times and shook her head.

"No, there's uh… no-no problem," she giggled nervously. He watched as she blushed bright red and slapped her cheeks multiple times before hiding her face behind her hands. Someone doused the fire and a few moments later, thousands of lightning bugs swarmed around the group of people, only… they didn't look like normal lightning bugs. They were too big and they produced a soft pinkish light as opposed to the normal yellow tint of a regular lightning bug. Then again, everything here seemed like it was out of some science fiction novel. Someone began beating a drum while another started playing a flute or something.

"Silent Dreamer, are you ready?" Standing Bear asked. Christin, who was still hiding behind her hands, shook her head furiously. "Come now, child. Do not be embarrassed. You must let him see the true being that you've become. And remember, it was your decision to perform your dance the night of his arrival," he reminded. Edward watched with curiosity was Christin hid her face behind her hair and stood up. What was she going to do? The chief had said something about a dance…

"You will like this, Edward," Black Crescent nudged him with his elbow. "She had been practicing almost nonstop for four months now, ever since the dance was first taught to her."

"What is she gonna do?" Edward asked.

"All women of the tribe must perform a ceremonial dance on their twentieth birthday, a coming of age ceremony. But because she is a Kali'rah, an exception was made and she was allowed to postpone her performance because she wanted you to see it," Moon Willow explained. The beat of the drums picked up speed and the flute's tune became more intricate. Someone started singing and Christin turned to face him.

"I want you to truly see me, Ed. I want you to see what I am," she said, moving her hair out of her face. Her eyes glinted with that cat-like luminosity, but what he found most captivating at the moment were the tattoos that framed her eyes. They were glowing an ethereal soft white and looked like… well… the only words he could think of was 'tribal lace'. It was a tribal pattern, but the way it was placed made it look very much like lace.

Then she started to dance.


	24. Her Sanctuary

24: Her Sanctuary

The tribal dance Christin performed was beyond anything Edward could've imagined. Some moves he didn't even know existed, but all the same it was stunning. Lighted by the lightning bug things and her new tattoos, she almost didn't look human. She looked like a part of the jungle, glowing like the strange plants and animals that surrounded the village. He had never seen a tribal dance, being as he had never really visited another country in his home world before, but he could tell that it was special. She would be twenty now, and something in him changed. He saw the beautiful woman she was becoming. It had been merely three years ago that they had first met. He had thought that she was such a brat. He still thought that, actually. But he had watched her change from bratty teenager into a still bratty young woman. He still had a hard time believing that he had fallen in love and with such an interesting girl… oops. He shouldn't call her that anymore because she was an adult now. It took him a few moments to realize that she had stopped dancing.

"I'm beat…" she sighed, taking her place next to him. "What'd you think?"

"I'm speechless," he replied. "In a good way!!" he hastily added. She was breathing hard and a light sheen of sweat covered her body and he found that very attractive for some reason. She smiled.

"Good," she replied. Moon Willow made a sort of screeching sound and everyone turned to her.

"What is it?" "What's wrong?" "Are you okay?" about a dozen different people asked.

"I believe that my baby is coming," she panted. Instantly several people rushed over to her and helped her inside her hut.

"I hope everything goes well…" Christin murmured. Edward nodded, understanding the situation completely. She relaxed and leaned her head against his shoulder. "The last time someone gave birth, which was about two months ago, the baby was stillborn. What's really stupid is… I helped deliver it. It makes no sense… I'm supposed to give life, right? Not take it away unintentionally. I can't help feeling that it was my fault the baby died. I even tried finding its soul so I could fix it, but it had already vanished. I'm so stupid…"

"It's not your fault. Those things happen and there's nothing we can do about it. When it's your time to die, the only thing you can do is welcome it with open arms," Edward replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Believe me, I know. I've died once, but I came back because I wasn't supposed to die then. And your stupidity is one of the things I love about you."

"I really missed you, Ed. I thought I was going to die if I didn't see you again," she mumbled.

He moved her face with his free hand and kissed her. It had been so long since anything like this had happened. Had her kisses always tasted so delicious? Her arm snaked around his neck and pulled him in closer. Controlled by his body, not his mind (which was a good thing because he would probably be wondering what the heck he was doing), he pulled away from her mouth and kissed down her jaw line and neck. He really liked hearing her uneven breathing. He smiled when a small moan escaped her throat. Suddenly, she pushed him away.

"I'm sorry. I can't… I… not yet…" she stuttered. "I'm still scared, Ed."

"It's alright. I shouldn't have done that without asking you first," he blushed.

"Besides, there are people around," she whispered. "Come with me. There's something I need to show you."

"Can't we do that in the morning? I'm tired…" he whined.

"It won't be worth showing you in the morning. You can sleep on the way there," she smiled.

"Fine…" he grumbled. He felt himself lift off the ground and looked down.

"Don't look so shocked. I'm manipulating the air around you, which is making you 'float', since you're so tired," she replied to his puzzled look.

"You've learned a lot since you left," he said, reaching for the ground.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg. Hold still, I just recently got this power back," she warned, grabbing his hands. In a split second, they were by a large river. A small boat was tied off not too far from where they stood.

"You can Jump again!" he cried. Christin shook her head sadly.

"Just between places I've been before. I can't go between worlds though, which kinda sucks," she smiled sadly. "It'll take a while to get where we're going, so you can go to sleep. Just try not to roll off the boat into the water cuz the fishies will eat you."

"Yeah right," he scoffed, slashing into the water. Almost instantly about a dozen glowing pink piranhas started leaping out of the water, trying to bite him. He quickly turned around and sloshed for shore.

"Told ya," Christin grinned. After they were in the boat, she pushed off the bank with a long gondola stick. Edward reclined and soon fell into a light sleep. Some time later, he woke up to something tickling his neck. Why was there grass on the boat? That shouldn't be there. He sat up and stared.

Hundreds of plants, weirder than the ones back by the village, were giving off light in soft shades of blue, pink, white, green, purple, and yellow. Floating white blips too small to be fireflies filled the air around him. His mouth flapped open and closed for a few moments, and one of the blips flew in his mouth. He expected to start gagging, but was surprised by the exotic, sugary taste that filled him. Larger light blue blips hung close to the ground, illuminating a path through the grass. Strange reptilian birds flew overhead, their scales and feathers patterned with bright greens and purples. Thick tree branches interlaced in the background, bright lime green blips scuttering along them like bugs. He followed the strange white trails in the tree trunks up towards the clearing in the treetops. More stars than he even knew existed dotted the black sky. His arm brushed a dark, lightless plant as he meandered through the clearing. He jumped a bit when impossibly large flowers of the brightest blue he had ever seen opened up, streams of sparkly golden dust, or perhaps pollen, rising from their yellow centers into the air. Tiny white butterflies flitted past in a small group. A large stone wall rose in the background, a white glow cast upon its glassy surface by the bell-shaped flowers around it. He pressed his human hand to the surface and stared at his reflection.

"Do you like it?" Christin asked as she approached from somewhere among the plants. He probably would've thought she was another plant, the way her new tattoos were glowing.

"It's incredible. I've never seen anything like this…" he breathed. "Saying I 'like' it is an understatement."

"I hoped you would say that," she replied. "I'm glad you like it… because I made it for you."

"What?" he asked, turning towards her.

"About a month after I came here, I had a breakdown. As you would expect, I simply picked a direction and started walking. I came to the river and just started swimming. I dozed off and the current swept me far downstream. When I woke up I was here. It was just a barren patch of grass and the slab of obsidian. The Funtchujk volcano is a few miles from here, which explains the obsidian. It was probably also why nothing really grew here, cuz if I remember correctly I think I heard someone say that plants can't grow in volcanic areas," she explained, stroking one of the petals of the massive blue flowers. One single petal was as big as she was, so Edward guessed that he could probably fit inside one if it closed up, like a caterpillar in a cocoon.

"And you fixed it up?" he asked.

"Yeah. Each time I got frustrated with my training or something, I'd always find myself coming here. Then one day I decided to spruce it up a bit. Basically, I took the ability to grow from the grass and other plant-like materials and made my own plants that could grow here. Then not far from the clearing we're standing in, I found a hot spring. I could live here if I had to," she chuckled. "I usually come here to be alone. Not even the chief knows about this place. You and I are the only ones who know."

"I thought you said you did this for me," Edward replied.

"I did. After things started to grow, I thought: 'I'm gonna make this place something even Ed would like.' And ta-dah!" she spread her hands, gesturing at the greenery around them. "I made quite a bit of spare time for myself, since it takes about forty-five minutes to get here traveling on the river's current."

"Don't they get mad at you when you leave?" he asked.

"I just tell them I'm going to the Mahk'rah Doon, which isn't exactly a lie. This place is just outside the valley. Being a Kali'rah has its plusses, aside from super cool powers," she shrugged.

"Is there a particular reason everything's glowing?" he asked.

"I got the glowy idea from a book… no, maybe it was a movie… I can't remember anymore. Actually, I can't really remember anything about my home world anymore; just that it's where I'm originally from and that I hated it," she sat down. "Did I show you my wings?" she asked.

"I didn't know you had wings," Edward stated. She motioned for him to join her on the ground and turned her back towards him.

"It's another tattoo, though it's usually hidden behind my hair and it doesn't glow in the daytime, like everything else here. Sometimes I think I'm part of the jungle," she laughed.

"I can see why," he chuckled. "Hey Christin…" he started.

"Ed, she replied."

"Um… I've noticed that… well, every time I touch you, I can feel with my automail. Is that because of your power?" he asked as he brushed her hair over her shoulders.

"Probably. If normally you can't feel anything, then all of a sudden you _can_ it's probably me. Remember, I'm a Kali'rah; I can give life to inanimate objects, so long as it doesn't go against the Lifestream," she shrugged again, pulling down her top so he could see the entire tattoo.

"I don't know what that is…" Edward mumbled as he traced the glowing wing pattern with his fingers.

Its tribal design went from the top of her shoulder blades almost to her hips, tribal lace like her face tattoos. Most people would look weird with tattoos on their faces (excluding the random bald guy with the tattoo on his head, which looked cool each time he saw someone like that. Not that he was going to shave his head or anything, he was just saying) but she looked… well, she looked like she was born to wear that tattoo. Like it was designed just for her. Christin prattled on about the Lifestream, which was almost the same as 'all is one, one is all' in alchemy. In a nutshell, there was a flow of energy that surrounded and flowed through each and every thing on the planet, animate or inanimate, and that flow connected everything to the main Lifestream. When something dies, it gives its energy back to the Lifestream and something new is born. Sometimes, flukes occur and people who can control the flow of energy, Kali'rahs like Christin, can restore what had been wrongfully taken. However, if it is meant to be, there is nothing they can do about it. Without the flow of the Lifestream, everything would cease to exist because everything is connected and relies on everything else.

"Mahweyna, the Mother Goddess, is the one who controls the Lifestream. She decides what died and what is born, which energy will be taken, regenerated, and reused. There is a legend of a being who was Mahweyna personified, and she restored everything after a great calamity. Everything was either dead or dying and the Lifestream was greatly disrupted. She healed everything by replacing the life energy that had been wrongfully taken and everything came back to life. That supposedly happened around the time of the First Light, what is believed to be the creation of man, and there were only two girls who could personify Mahweyna since, including the first one," she sighed deeply.

"You okay?" Edward asked.

"That feels good. It feels like you're massaging my back," she crooned. "Don't stop!" she whined when he pulled his hands away.

"Hey if I'm giving you a massage, it's only fair that you give me one," he stated. She sighed dramatically and turned around, fixing her top in the process.

"Holy crap, you're tense!" she exclaimed when she rested her hands on his shoulders. "I bet that if I shoved a chunk of coal inside you, I'd get a diamond within a few days." She chuckled when he relaxed. She actually saw some of the tension leave him. His skin was warm and rough under her fingers, and every now and then she saw a scar or two. He probably had more on his front. "Lie down, but don't fall asleep; I'll do better that way," she instructed. Edward obeyed.

"You're going to come back, right? To Amestris?" he asked lazily. He was really enjoying this right now and didn't want to get up.

"Well, I wouldn't be able to find Al very well if I didn't," she stated. "… I'm sorry about that. I really screwed up your lives, haven't I?"

"Don't be stupid," he replied. "It's not your fault."

"Yes it is, Ed. Think about it: if I hadn't shown up outta the blue, would you be here right now?" she asked. When Edward didn't answer, she continued, "If I hadn't dropping into your lives, you and Al would still be together and you wouldn't have to worry about all the crap I've been putting you through."

"That may be true, but I don't care," he sighed.

"Well I _do_, Ed. This entire thing is my fault, which is why I'm trying so hard to fix it. I'm an adult now; I can't keep relying on others to constantly bail me out of trouble, to clean up my messes. I have to stand on my own two feet," she pressed.

"You've got legs; you should get up and use them," Edward agreed. "As long as you let me come along."

He sat up and met her confused expression.

"While the situation may be your fault, it's _my_ brother you're trying to save. Don't be like me and shoulder all the burdens yourself," he rubbed her arms comfortingly. "I love you and I'm not going to let you suffer alone."

"I love you," she replied, throwing herself at him. She hugged his middle and cried, perhaps harder than Edward had ever seen. He smoothed her hair and kept repeating that everything was going to be okay, he knew that things would work out the way they wanted. After a few minutes, he noticed that she stopped crying and had fallen asleep on his lap. He chuckled gently; she looked so childlike when she was sleeping. All the worry and stress evaporated into the air, leaving a calm, peaceful expression.

* * *

The next morning he woke up to some insect buzzing nearby. All the plants had turned off (how else could he describe that they weren't glowing anymore?) and a thin grey mist hung in the air. Christin had been right; it didn't look half as amazing as it did at night, even though the plants were still brightly colored. Grayish-white flakes wafted in the air, almost like snow. He stuck out his tongue like a child and caught one, instantly disliking the ashy taste. He sniffed the air and smelled smoke. He rolled over to wake up Christin, but she wasn't there. He started to panic when he heard water splashing irregularly. Oh yeah, she said there was a hot spring near here. He heaved himself off the ground and stretched his sore muscles. Sleeping on the ground was not good for his back, especially when that 'ground' was a large hunk of obsidian with grass growing on it. He shuffled through the plants towards the sounds. The mist soon turned into steam and he knew he was close. It was weirdly sweet smelling and tickled his nose. He spotted Christin in the hot water, not far from the shore. Feeling very naughty, he hid behind a tree. She was in the water up to her hips and naked, as her clothes were carelessly thrown on the obsidian rocks nearby. He couldn't see her wing tattoo anymore, even though her back was in plain sight. She turned her head a bit and spied him.

"Aah! You pervert!" she cried, ducking down in the water and folding her arms protectively over her chest. "What are you doing here?!"

"I came looking for you cuz I was worried, jeez," he replied.

"In case you're blind, I'm trying to take a bath. Now go away!" she insisted, her face flushing crimson. "Go away!" she repeated when he didn't leave.

"Why? It's not like it's your personal hot spring that you own. I have every right to be here. So please, continue what you were doing," he grinned stupidly. He watched her mouth flap open and closed several times before she finally came up with a reply.

"No! You go away!" she cried. "I'm all dirty and sweaty and I want to take a bath!"

"Now that you mention it, me too," he said as he stood up.

"What are you…? No. No, no. No. What are you doing? Stop that!" she floundered as she watched him undo his belt.

"Just kidding," he chuckled before turning around and leaving.

A piercing shriek shattered the early morning stillness.

* * *

_A/N: Alright, part two. Okay, just so you know, the rating has gone up from T to M cuz I said so. Relationships are growing deeper and yeah. Please forgive me for the cheesy writing; I've had no sexual experience… actually I've never had a boyfriend (being sixteen and still not having my first kiss seems a little weird to me… whatever…) unrequited love for a cartoon character really sucks…Anywhozit, thank you __**oodles**__ whoever reads and especially those who review. YOU are what is keeping this story alive. Well… you and my ideas, actually, but I'm writing it for you all so it's really you. Things will get more interesting and I already can't wait to start writing part three. BTW, this stuff is kinda based offa what i saw in that Avatar movie. i was inspired. hee hee._

_See you in chapter 25…_


	25. Vengeance

25: Vengeance

Edward and Christin hurried toward the village. She sensed that something was horribly wrong, though she didn't know exactly what. Something in her gut kept telling her to hurry.

"Silent Dreamer!" Standing Bear exclaimed. "No, you cannot see. Edward, you must take her away from here."

"What? If something is wrong, I want to help!" she protested. She pushed her way to the front of the circle the tribe had formed, Edward close behind her.

"Oh my god…" he mumbled. Christin looked at him, and then looked at what he was staring at.

"Moon Willow…" she gasped. Tears instantly sprung to her eyes and Edward turned her into him. Moon Willow… or rather… her body… was decapitated and staked into the ground. Her blood was spilled irregularly, almost in a circular pattern. "Please tell me I'm not seeing this…" she begged, her tears making a wet spot on Edward's shirt.

"I wish I could," he sighed, rubbing her back soothingly. "That's…" he now recognized the pattern her blood made. It was the tattoo that the Homunculi bore.

"You know this mark?" Standing Bear asked. Edward nodded.

"It's the mark of a group of bad people created by alchemy," he replied. "They're the ones who… are hunting Christin."

"Let's go," she muttered.

"What?" came a reply from all around.

"I'm going to make them pay for hurting my friend!!" she screamed, large cracks appearing in the ground.

"You cannot lose control of your powers! Do you remember what happened last time you lost control?" Standing Bear said quickly.

"You are right. I won't lose control… I won't destroy everything again," she calmed down. "I can't afford to ruin anything else…"

"I think you must go back to Amestris. I believe this is a sign that they know she is here. You are going to destroy them, yes?" Black Crescent asked shakily.

"I will. First they took Al, now they've killed Moon Willow. That is unforgivable!" Christin nodded, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

"Do what you must," Standing Bear smiled, an act of saying goodbye.

"I'll come back, once everything is taken care of," she grinned. "We best get moving." Edward held his breath when Christin embraced him, knowing they were going to Jump. They landed roughly on the upper floor of Rockbell automail.

"What's going on? Oh, you're back," Winry stated.

"And stuck," Christin grimaced. Indeed, she was halfway through the floor. "I still haven't really gotten the hang of phasing yet…" she admitted. "Sometimes, things like this happen… and… yeah, I can't get out."

Edward grabbed her hands and started tugging. In the blink of an eye, they both turned transparent and fell through to the floor below. Winry rushed downstairs to find them in a small heap near the table.

"Maybe you shouldn't do that anymore," he sighed.

"Methinks you're right," Christin agreed. She brushed her hair out of her face and sat up. "Who're they, your friends? That one guy looks kinda like Ling from Mulan."

"I don't know what you are talking about. I am Ling Yao, twelfth son of the Emperor of Xing. This is Lanfan, my companion and May Chang, a daughter of the emperor. I'm a friend of Ed's," the man replied.

"Oh, okay. I'm Christin Fallbrook, um… I'm basically like a god and this one loser guy who works for the military is hunting me. You obviously know them so… yeah," she responded.

"I'm glad to finally meet you, Christin. I don't know if you know this, but Lanfan and I tried to help when you were arrested shortly after your arrival in our world," Lin nodded.

"I didn't know that. You look smart; do you know anything about artificial beings? Here they're called 'Homunculus'," she asked.

Lin launched into a lengthy explanation of how he first came to Amestris to find the secret of immortality and gave his soul up to the Homunculus Greed, but through some fluke he was later rejected and returned to being human. "They have this weird tattoo of a snake eating its tail. I think it might be their crest, like Ed and his brother have that cross thing."

"It's called the crest of Flammel," Edward growled.

"Where is your brother?" Lanfan inquired. Edward's gaze darkened and he hung his head.

"He was taken by a Homunculus named Deceit. She seduced him and now he's her hapless puppet," he replied softly.

"You two have had a past experience with these Homunculi, right? Do you know what they wanted?" Christin asked.

"Most of them wanted to be human, but I think they were being used to take over the world or something," Edward sighed. He didn't really care anymore about what they did. Most of them were dead, right? Why bother?

"But they can't do alchemy, which doesn't make sense since they're behind the fabrication of the Philosopher's Stone… there was even one who could use alchemy, right? The child-like one who had your limbs?" Christin leaned forward and rested her elbows on her knees. "Maybe they need another alchemist because they still have something to do. Maybe that's why they took Alphonse."

"You may be on to something there. I wouldn't be surprised if they came after Mr. Edward or you next, since he's a great alchemist and you've got such amazing powers, so you claim," May added.

"That's it," Christin concluded softly.

"Did you say something?" Edward yawned.

"They know. They know that I care about Al, about you. They're using him as a way to get to me… no, no, no, that's not it…" she stood up and started pacing, dragging her hands through her hair. "Why would they bother taking him if they could just come get me? But maybe there's a reason they can't come fetch me themselves… they're trying to get me to come to them."

"Since when did you get so smart?" Edward half teased.

"Since I realized that I can't solve this problem if I stay stupid, now shut up and let me think… okay, obviously they want me, but we don't know why," she mumbled.

"Well, you do look like Robin's dead lover and Deceit," Edward noted.

"Robin… that bastard certainly has a large role in this… he's an alchemist, right? Mustang mentioned him once… maybe he created Deceit, the way you and Al made Sloth when you tried to transmute your mom. But if that's the case… why would he be after me?" she sighed deeply.

"Maybe he doesn't know that his lover was resurrected successfully," May stated.

"Ooh, all this is giving me one helluva migraine…" Christin groaned.

"The Homunculi were trying to use Al and me because of our powers… maybe they're going to do the same with you," Edward added.

"But anything they might be planning would be evil, right? You should lay low for a while until we know exactly what is going on," Lin said.

"No, we can't do that. That's what they're expecting us to do. They think that we're going to just sit around and twiddle our thumbs while they plot world domination or whatever and try to figure out what they're planning. Jeesh, this is starting to sound like a bad comic book…" Christin mused.

"Then we run. We find Al and we run away so they can't find you," Edward suggested.

"We can't do that either. After they figure out that we're too smart to just sit around and wait for something to happen, they'll go for that plan next. I got it," she said, slapping her fist to her palm.

"If we can't wait it out, and we can't run, what other option is there? Do you want them to find you?" Lanfan asked.

"Bingo! Yahtzee! We have a winner! Our survey says: we lead them straight to me. It's the only way we can find Al, considering that we have no idea where their base is," Christin exclaimed. "Then, once we're inside, we break them up and stop whatever they're doing and return everything back to normal. Boom! World is saved!"

"But how will they know where you are?" Winry asked. She had been listening to the conversation but had never joined in because she didn't really have any experience with what they were dealing with. "You should just quit while you're ahead. After all, this is your fault; you'll only make it worse."

"Winry, are you okay?" Edward asked.

"It's not me you should worry about, Ed. She's the one you need to be concerned about. She's trying to make it sound like she can fix everything, when really she's at the heart of it. She is the problem. I say we kill her and solve it," the blond woman snarled.

"What are you talking about, Winry? You know I'm not like that," Christin insisted.

"I'm sick of your lies. You should leave. It's not like anyone truly cares about what happens to you. We all know that once you're gone, everything will go back to normal," Winry pressed.

"Something is wrong; she's not herself," Edward stated. Christin closed her eyes and listened hard. Something had been bugging her ever since she came back to this house: a dull roaring sound in the very back of her mind, like some sort of low-pitched frequency that she was picking up. Not that it would surprise her, what with her affinity for technology and all. She started walking slowly in the direction it was coming from.

"Christin?" Edward asked.

"Do it now, Ed, while her back it turned. I know you can do it. After all, you've killed before," Winry coaxed.

"Snap out of it Winry!" he cried, shaking her shoulders.

"There!" Christin cried, pointing at the radio. She bent her arms at a 90 degree angle and turned her palms to the floor. She shoved them down quickly and with a loud _whomp_ sound, about half a dozen small streams of brightly colored light materialized. "It's coming from the radio," her silver voice joined the pink, blue, gold, green, purple, and black streams.

"What is this stuff?" Edward asked, his own voice generating more golden threads.

"It's what people's voices look like. Usually you can't see them, but I gave them color so it'd be easier to see what was wrong," Christin explained.

"I guess you do have cool powers," May's pink voice chimed.

"Cool or not, she is still a threat to our existence. Edward, please get rid of her," Winry's purple voice swirled in the air. It was interlaced with black. Christin approached the radio, where a song she had forgotten that she had recorded back when she first came here was playing.

"It's odd that they'd broadcast a song on the radio. I've only ever heard announcements, and there aren't very many stations," she said, picking up the radio and turning it over in her hands.

"What's the black stuff coming from it?" Lin's blue words joined the rainbow hanging in the air.

"The black stuff looks like it might be something impure, as it's a color usually associated with evil, which I sense a bit of in the room," Lanfan's green voice swirled around the other color threads.

"You are correct, Lanfan," Christin said as she grabbed onto the black stream. White light so bright it was blinding flashed the moment her skin touched the stream, and when it faded, a small blob of blackness floated in the palm of her hand.

"What's going on?" Winry asked suddenly. Her visible voice was now pure purple; all traces of the blackness were gone.

"This energy… it's tainted. I've seen this kind of energy when Deceit attacked me. It was kind of like the opposite of mine, since my power is white. I think that this is some of her power, and it's being used to brainwash people," Christin deduced. The sound flowing from the radio was now a bright yellow.

"What's going on in here?" red threads joined the other colors as Pinako entered the room. "Oh, you're back."

"Whoa, why is there floating colors in the air?" Katie asked as her peach colored words joined the others.

"I guess you got some new powers," Kelsie chuckled, her voice creating a chocolaty brown stream. Christin smiled and nodded.

* * *

"Argh, why won't this red color go away?" Deceit growled. Red streaks had appeared in her hair a few days ago, and no matter what she did they would not go away.

"Deceit, I'd like to have a word with you," Envy growled from the doorway to her room.

"Yes, darling, what is it?" she replied sweetly.

"It's your relationship with Alphonse. I think… that you've actually fallen in love with him," he cooed. Deceit's breath caught in her throat.

"Don't be ridiculous. I'm incapable of feeling such emotions," she quickly lied. What was he talking about?

"But you were in love before you became what you are today. It would only be natural that your emotions from your memories leaked into your life now," Envy smirked. "Don't tell me that you want to become a human like those idiots I used to work with."

"Why would I want to become a creature who is so susceptible to pain and weakness?" she countered.

"Whatever. It's your life I guess, but that won't stop me from interfering," he smirked again and walked away.

"What do you mean?" she asked. "You're not going to hurt Alphonse, are you?" Maybe he was right. Maybe she _was_ in love with Alphonse.

"Like you care. He's just your puppet, right? Your little love toy?" Envy lilted. "Why should it matter what happens to him? Once we have the girl he won't be needed… unless he changes."

"You don't mean…" Deceit started. Alphonse's scream pierced the stillness; she had to bite her tongue to keep from joining in.

* * *

Alphonse woke up slowly. His entire body hurt, especially his neck. No… that wasn't his name… was it?

"I see you're awake," Deceit's sweet voice sliced through the silence. "Are you well, darling?"

"I… I think I am. I hurt all over, though," he replied as he sat up. Pain shot through his neck and he clamped a hand to it. "What…" he started.

"It's alright. You're one of us now," Deceit smiled gently.

"One of… you?" he repeated. He tried remembering what happened, but only got fragments of what he guessed were memories. There was a boy, a year older than him with long blond hair tied back in a braid. A girl with blond hair pulled back in a ponytail with a wrench in her hand. There was… a woman with a kind smile. And another girl… she was different from the first one. She had sad hazel eyes and short hair… and she was singing. Edward… that was the name of the blond boy. Then… there was another boy, with short hair the color of dirty honey. But… his body was being taken apart. That was him. Then he was a suit of armor, following Edward.

"Do you remember me?" she asked. He paused and nodded.

"I remember. You are Deceit and… I think I loved you," he replied.

"That's right," she nodded. "Do you remember your brother?"

"My brother… is Edward," he said.

"And Christin?"

"Christin? … I remember her…. I hate her. She used me, and I hate her," he growled.

"The ninth member of the Ouroboros has awakened. Welcome to the family, Vengeance," Envy smirked.

"Family…" Alphonse repeated. He looked in the mirrors lining the wall. A purple tattoo of a serpent eating its tail stood out sharply on his neck.

"That's right," Deceit said, sadness seeping into her voice a bit. Why him, of all people? Why did it have to be _Alphonse_? "Your name is Vengeance, and you belong with us."

"I am Vengeance… my name… is what keeps me going. I'm going to destroy the people who hurt me… because that's what vengeance is."

* * *

_A/N: bet you didn't see that coming, huh? Alphonse is now a homunculus. In case you didn't notice, I've been smushing what I've seen/what I know about the anime with what I've read of the manga, which is why the story started out after Shamballa and includes characters like Lin (who I think looks like Ling from Mulan. Yes? No? Maybe? I dunno; go watch it and see). But this is a fanfic, so I'm allowed to warp exactly what happens to the characters in my story, which is why Lin's human again (if you want to know why it's 'again' go read the manga cuz I'm not going to spoil it if you haven't read it yet)_

_Also, I will be uploading the manga version of the story soon, cuz my friend is uploading the pages to her computer cuz mine is hella slow and retarded like that. So, I don't know exactly when, but the manga will be up on my personal website soon, along with an original manga I've been working on for the past year or so (I finally finished book one last night). Thanks for reading and reviewing!! Until chapter 26…_


	26. Perfectly Flawed

26: Perfectly Flawed

"What are you doing?" Edward asked the next morning. A very large mess of books and papers was scattered all over the couch and surrounding floor. Christin was curled up on the floor in the middle of it.

"Whazzit? Oh, I was studying alchemy… or trying to," she yawned. "I figured that they might use Al's alchemy against us, so I wanna be prepared."

"But this stuff is purification arts, not alchemy," he stated, picking up a book. Not that there was that much of a difference between the two.

"Hey, I don't know what's going to happen, so I figured I better learn what I can while I can," she stood up and stretched. "Oh, my back is stiff…"

"Whatever…" he shrugged, loping off to the kitchen for coffee.

"Hey, I'll have you know that I actually can do a bit of alchemy, even though the stuff in the book makes no sense to me at all, even after reading five times," she sassed, following him.

"_You_ make no sense to me at all sometimes…" he grumbled.

"Am I bothering you?" she asked as he sat down in a chair.

"Not really; it's just too early for your crap," he replied, pulling her onto his lap.

"I is sorry…" she chuckled.

"About what now?" he mumbled.

"For… well, everything I guess. Sorry… I keep apologizing for the same things. I must be getting on your nerves," she giggled nervously. His face was very close to her chest and it was making her more than a little uncomfortable.

"I'm used to it," he replied, kissing her. They heard someone coming down the stairs, so she instantly leaped off his lap and hurried over to her mess of alchemy stuff. She randomly and probably pointlessly tried organizing some papers, but got frustrated and left.

"What'd you do?" Pinako demanded.

"I didn't do anything. She's just… I don't even know anymore," he sighed, clonking his head on the table.

"Your relationship is going to stay where it is if you don't go talk to her," she chided.

"But I don't know what the problem even is!" he whined.

"Did you ever think that she might miss her home world? Yes, she has us as friends, but she has no real family. Think how hard that must be, how you would feel if Al was gone from your life forever," the old woman said.

"Granny's right, Ed. My master is all alone in the world," Saru chimed in. "She has trouble expressing her emotions and ends up hurting herself as a way to release them. The best way to help her is to just be near her; she'll talk when she's ready."

"She is not alone: she has me," Edward said firmly before leaving.

"Ah, young love…" Kelsie sighed dramatically. "Oh, don't tell me that you hadn't noticed, Pinako."

"He's growing up to be quite a man," she smiled. She knew he liked her, but how much… well, she'd know when they knew.

"You can't keep running from your problems, you know," Edward said. Christin jumped.

"I'm not in the mood for a lecture," she grumbled.

"I'm not going to lecture you," he insisted. "I just wanna talk."

"Uh-huh, yeah, sure," she mumbled. 'Talk' probably meant 'I'm going to be nice about my complaints as to why you're such an idiot'.

"Do you miss your world?" he asked gently. Christin blinked in surprise.

"Well, I don't really remember it very well anymore… how can you miss what you've forgotten?" she chuckled. Edward's intense stare got her. "I guess I do. There are so many things I can't talk about with you guys because most of those things don't even exist yet, and I don't know if they'll ever exist, but with me coming here, who knows? Maybe someone will copy the technology from my ipod and make their own. I don't really care either way."

"If you want… I could try to help you get back to your world," Edward offered.

"Why?" she asked softly.

"Why? Umm… because I want you to be happy," he replied.

"You don't have to do that. It's been... what, three years since I came here? I'm doing fine. It's only material things I miss like T.V. and Dance Dance Revolution. Well, those things and Flamin' Hot Cheetos. I've got all my friends here or at least people who are so much like my old friends I sometimes forget that these are different people," she continued. "And there's one thing I have here that I never had back in my world."

"Super cool powers?" Edward chuckled.

"Well, yeah, but that isn't what I'm talking about," she grinned.

"Alright, what do you have here that you didn't have there, besides super cool powers?" Edward humored her.

"I have you," she replied. "… and that makes me happy. I don't need to go back to my world because you aren't there. I know that I kinda depend on you a lot, sometimes for really stupid things, but you're the first person to show me affection. Not even my family did that," she mumbled. "They were all talk. My father hated me cuz I wasn't like my obnoxious brother, my brother hated me probably because he was jealous that I was older and so much better at everything than him, my mom was the only one who showed hints of like, but even then she'd call me stupid and worthless and stuff. I guess I never really got over that."

"So you've basically become emotionally inept," he concluded.

"I was, but you and Al fixed that. Back when I was in high school and stuff, I'd say that I liked a guy just because I was lonely. Thinking I liked someone made my crappy existence seem better, but I was still invisible. Not many people noticed me and I had very few friends and I never really found a place where I could fit in until my junior year, but then I Jumped and came here. Then everything turned upside down, but I found people who cared about me. And I decided to stay here," she stretched out on the ground and held up a hand to block the sun.

"Saru wasn't kidding when she said that you'd talk when you wanted," he chuckled.

"But I'm not okay, completely. I've been thinking I'm worthless for so long now that it's hard for me to accept that someone really cares about me. I guess that's kinda why I won't… commit to you. I mean, yeah part of it is from the rape, but… if I … you know… I'm just going to get more and more attached and dependent on you," she admitted.

"It's cute how you can't actually say it," he muttered, putting his head near hers. "You can depend on me. I won't hurt you, I promise." He watched, slightly bemused, as she stood up quickly and walked away a few paces. "Why do you keep doing that?" he asked.

"Because every time I get near you I get turned on!" she blurted, clamping her hands over her mouth not one second after speaking. "No, you didn't hear that!" she floundered.

"I guess that means you think I'm sexy," he laughed.

"I'm… going back inside," she mumbled, dashing for the yellow house.

"You're so cute…" he chuckled to himself.

"Is something wrong, Pinako?" Christin asked as she walked laps around the house to calm down.

"I was thinking about re-painting the house, but I don't know…" she sighed.

"I could do that," Christin offered.

"You'd have to go pick up the paint I ordered from the station," Pinako noted.

"No big deal," Christin shrugged. "I'll have it done by tonight." With that she Jumped to the station. She had only been there once to see Sheska off to Central, but she only needed to go someplace once in order for her to Jump there. After picking up the paint and paying for it (with a bit of difficulty as she had never quite figured out how much sens were worth) she Jumped back and began working. Hopefully, she'd be able to keep her mind off Edward. She looked around quickly to make sure no one was watching and, after concluding that no one was, flew up to the roof.

"What are you doing?" Lin's voice asked. Christin startled and nearly lost her balance.

"I'm pretending to be a gymnast," she replied.

"On the roof?" Lanfan asked. Christin nodded. She had controlled the paintbrushes to do the work themselves, leaving her free to goof off.

"What's up?" Edward's voice joined them. That made her lose her balance completely and she fell off the roof. "Apparently not you anymore. What were you doing up there?"

"I was being a Goofy Goober," she replied gruffly. "Ew, that's going to leave a mark," she groaned as she hauled herself off the ground. She dusted herself off and looked up.

"What are you looking at?" Lanfan asked.

"It's gotten so _dark_ already…" Christin mused.

"What kind of ditz are you?" Lin asked. Christin glanced at him.

"The kind that will give you a headache," she grinned. "So Ling how're Yao and Chin Po?"

"My name is Lin, and I've never met anyone by those names," Lin replied.

"But in the movie you've already met them before you met Mulan, who is standing right beside you. Or do you two secretly know each other before you joined the army?" Christin continued. Lin sighed and stomped away. Christin's smug grin wilted and she sighed deeply. "Why couldn't I be like this back when I needed it?" she whispered to herself.

"You say something?" Edward asked. Christin shrugged and matched his pace.

"Ed… you don't have to answer this if you don't want to, but… is it possible to be agnostic and be a god?" she asked softly.

"Why do you ask?" he replied.

"Because I've become the very thing I don't believe in," she answered. "I always thought that God didn't care about me and that was why my life started sucking. After a while, I stopped believing he was real. Then I come here and find out I am one. Ironic, isn't it?" they tromped through the house up to their rooms, bidding anyone present 'goodnight'.

Edward watched as Christin stopped walking. This was really bothering her, that much he could sense.

"Why would someone so flawed have to become something so perfect?" she asked bitterly.

"Nobody's perfect," he muttered. "Not even you; but that's another thing I like about you. Our flaws make us human and I think you're more human than most of us."

"But I'm supposed to be this perfect being that can do anything! I can barely tell someone how I feel about them!" she slumped against the door to his bedroom. "I have such a hard time… I can't even tell you that I love you sometimes!" she sobbed.

"I don't care what you're supposed to be, because I love you just the way you are, flaws and all," he kissed her forehead. "Christin, there's nothing wrong with being human. When you're human, you have emotions, which is really just another flaw. Would you really want to become some supreme being that feels nothing or a less supreme human who can feel emotions?"

"I just… I just really want…" she mumbled something so quietly Edward missed it. "I just want to be with you forever…" she repeated when he didn't respond.

"And me with you. There, we solved the problem," he chuckled softly. "We're not going to leave each other, so let's just kiss and make up."

"I want more than that…" she mumbled.

"Well if that's what you want, all you have to do is ask," he replied.

"I can't! It's embarrassing!" she whispered.

"Say it…" he prompted. "If you can't even talk about it, do you really expect to get any further?"

"Alright, alright… just… don't make me get down on my knee or something stupid like that…" she sighed. "Edward… um… will you… will you h— argh, I can't!"

"Since you're so incapable of asking me, I think I'll go to bed. Would you be so kind as to move?" he asked trying to open his door.

"Oh no, you're not going in there without me," she blocked his way.

"I'm waiting…" he sighed impatiently, a grin tugging at his lips.

"Dammit, Edward, will you just have sex with me already?" she burst, biting her lip afterwards.

"See? That wasn't so hard…" he smiled as he kissed her. Christin felt her limbs go weak and accidentally opened the door, making them tumble inside the room. "Graceful…" he muttered, still smiling.

"Shut up…" she mumbled as she stood up and closed the door. "… Do you think I should lock it?" she asked.

"Well, let's see… we're about to engage in sexual intercourse, which can be extremely awkward if someone walks in, so I'm thinking yes, you should lock the door," he answered sarcastically.

"Sorry, it's not like I actually know what I'm doing," she hissed.

"Says the one who has experience… of sorts. I'm the one who should be worried about what I'm doing," he hissed back.

"I was paralyzed. I can honestly say the only thing I felt that time was this awful stinging when the paralysis crap wore off. But that's just me. I don't know it might be different this time," she said.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, resuming their interrupted kiss.

"Because you're not Robin," she replied, "And I want it this time."

They fell back on Edward's bed and Christin wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing his head more into her neck as he trailed hot kisses. He chuckled when his right hand slid up her shirt and made her twitch. She pulled him back up and began unbuttoning his shirt, just barely letting her fingers skim across his skin in the most awful taunting way. Soon enough both shirts were discarded and both were breathing rather heavily. Edward loved the way her body was a perfect contrast to his: soft and smooth whereas he was hard and rough. Even the countless scars on her body were smooth. It was very dark now and the only light came from her tattoos, as the moon hadn't yet risen, and it all made for a very intimate feeling. He jolted a bit when her hands slid down his chest and worked on unfastening his belt. Honestly he was a little scared. Christin moaned when he kissed her neck and that made him smile. Well, that and the fact that she was wearing a skirt, which meant less work for him. She sucked in breath a little quickly when he squeezed her breast. This was definitely better than the rape, by a long shot. His hand was rough and warm and she liked that he was touching her. Somehow he had gotten rid of his pants, but was still wearing his boxers. Her own clothes (or what she was still wearing, which was just her skirt and underpants) were mostly off, so she sped things along a bit, essentially scattering the molecules/cells (she never knew exactly which they were, but right now she didn't care) and then reassembling them somewhere else. She wrapped her legs around his torso and he plunged into her. It hurt and she bit her lip to keep from crying, but overall it was a good kind of pain; she wasn't scared anymore, that was for sure. After a while the pain faded and he began moving his hips back and forth, slowly at first but picking up speed as things progressed. He climaxed just as he thought he was about to explode, her following not long after. His arms gave out and he collapsed on top of her. She smoothed his hair out of his face and kissed his forehead. He rolled onto his side, keeping one arm wrapped around her waist.

"You're crying," he stated.

"I am?" she asked, touching her face then wiping it with her arm. "You're trembling," she replied back.

"I'm exhausted," he corrected, giving her a tired smile.

"You know what's stupid?" she asked breathily.

"Hm?" he responded, nuzzling into her neck.

"How people call it 'sleeping with someone' when the only actual sleeping happens after it's done," she said. "They also call it 'making love' but love isn't some physical thing you can actually make. People are strange."

"You're strange," he grinned. She turned so she was facing him, watching his expression in the light from her tattoos. His golden eyes were tired but shining in a very happy way. She sighed deeply and snaked an arm around his waist, pressing her head against his chest. She was suddenly very tired. He pulled the sheets over them, the cool fabric caressing their bare bodies.

"Thank you, Edward," Christin muttered sleepily. Edward smiled. Neither of them had ever felt so happy in their entire lives.

* * *

_A/N: whelpers, Ed and Christin have done it. Hurray for romance! Sorry, I'm kinda buzzed on green tea right now. Have you ever noticed that it isn't really green? Anyways…yeah. What do you think will happen next? No one knows, not even me, which is stupid cuz I'm the one writing the story. Thanks for sticking with me for so long; I heart you all. Read, review, PM me with ideas, you should know the drill by now._

_Until chapter 27…_


	27. A Day In Resembool

27: A Day in Resembool

"So that's how it is?" Pinako's voice cut through the almost-awake-but-still-sleeping silence. Edward was the first to recognize the voice and he propped himself up on his elbow. Christin remained pretty much asleep (the girl was a notorious oversleeper). They were both mostly covered by the sheets, but that wouldn't hide what they had done.

"Yeah, this' how it is," he confirmed. "I'm a grown man; I think I can handle a relationship."

"If you say so," the old woman smiled and walked away.

"How did she even get in here? I locked the fucking door…" Christin groaned.

"Umm, it's her house and she has a key," he replied. "Morning, by the way," he added, planting a kiss on her neck.

"Right back at ya," she grinned. "I hurt…"

"I know the feeling," he sighed. Christin's slightly manic giggled caught his attention. "What?"

"We're lovers," she stated, grinning like a silly schoolgirl.

"Really? I had no idea," he asked with mock surprise. She punched his shoulder lightly. "I'm kidding."

"You better be," she sighed, sitting up. "Any idea where my clothes went?" she asked, looking around the room.

"Sorry, I wasn't exactly thinking 'oh, I should probably keep our clothes nearby' when I was making love to you last night. Excuse me," he drawled. "Just use the sheets or something."

"Ed, I have to go back to _my room_ which is down the hall. I'm not going to strut about in a sheet; people will totally know!" she protested, keeping the sheets tucked under her arms and against her breasts.

"You came into my room, and you're not leaving until morning. Uh, I think they'll know," he stated. "Besides, can't you just conjure up some clothes or something, or can you only take them off?"

"That sounds so dirty," she said, flailing her arms around for no reason. Edward chuckled.

"Hey Ed, have you seen…" Winry paused when she came into the doorway. "I guess you have. Um… ew."

"What's going on?" Katie popped her head in the room. "Oh… I was right Kelsie!" she called.

"They did it?" she replied.

"My eyes are going to fall out of my skull…" Winry mumbled. "That's… so gross. Air! I need air!" she wailed as she staggered dramatically down the hall.

"Okay, everyone needs to go away," Christin said, holding her head in her hands. "That's your cue to leave," she hissed. Everyone scattered.

"Now they know," Edward pointed out. Christin grabbed a pillow and began beating him with it. "Oh, now you wanna fight?" he grinned mischievously and grabbed his own pillow.

"No, no stop, please!" she laughed as she was whacked repeatedly by the pillow. "You win!"

"Okay, get dressed before anyone else barges in," he ordered, scanning the room for his boxers.

* * *

"You two are awfully touchy-feely today," Lanfan stated at breakfast.

"And you still look like Mulan. I think I'm gonna start calling you that from now on," Christin retorted. Actually, they were just sitting closer together than usual. Naturally, she got pissed for no real reason and stormed off.

"Thank you so… very much," Edward sighed. Things had been going _so_ well…

"There you are," Christin said. Winry turned around and looked at her before returning to her blank gaze across the landscape. "Something wrong?"

"no, nothing. I'm fine," Winry replied quickly.

"…I'm sorry," Christin apologized. Winry gave her a confused look.

"I don't follow…" she said.

"Ed. You're in love with him right? And I kinda stole him. I didn't mean too, honestly, but things didn't go exactly as planned you know?" she chuckled, sitting down next to her.

"How…" Winry started.

"…did I know? I could tell. I may not be the brightest light in the city, but I'm not retarded. I'm stupid so I know these things," she explained.

"I'm confused…" Winry replied.

"Well, the way you look at him. I can sense your love when you speak to him and I can see it on your face when you look at him, even when you try to hide it. I've grown very sensitive to people's emotions, supposedly from having shirked my own, which makes no sense, and I can read emotions in people's faces and actions," she clarified. "But if I go away, you can have him."

"Are you leaving again?" she asked. She was used to the girl's frequent excursions, but really missed her when she wasn't around.

"I'm just saying," she shook her head; "in the time after I first left my world, I was able to go back for a few moments. Everyone I knew or had a connection with in some way had forgotten that I was there. It was like I never existed. So I figured if I ever Jump between dimensions again, everything will reset itself and things will go back to the way they were before I showed up. Meaning Ed will never remember that I existed. If that does happen, if I cross dimensions again, take good care of him."

"You said… things didn't go as you planned. Will you tell me what you had in mind?" Winry asked gently.

"Well, first Al and I kinda had a thing. I just thought 'I'm going to stick with him forever'. It seemed like a good plan at the time. He's sweet and kind and caring, but sometimes it's too much. I've been very self-sufficient since I was very young so I get weird when people take care of me, even when I'm sick," Christin sighed.

"Was he not good enough for you?"

"More like I wasn't good enough for him. I'd just have ended up using him for comfort, for support. I'll probably do the same with Ed, knowing how I am, but he probably won't just sit there and take it. Besides, I was sixteen. Love comes and goes at that age and you have to keep looking to find what you're looking for. It's kinda like my old psychology teacher said once: life is like a library and people are books. If you pick up a book and start reading it, there are two options. You can buy the book, in other words make the commitment to that person, or put it back on the shelf and start reading another, basically break up and find someone else," she mused. "Alphonse doesn't deserve the likes of me."

"So you bought Ed," Winry confirmed. Christin nodded. "I think you made a good choice. You two are freakishly alike, you know that? But… you're kinda like Rose too."

"Hey, you two are talking without fighting. I think that's a first," Pinako said from the doorway. The two women glared at her and she walked away, puffing at her pipe and smiling.

"So you and Ed really…" Winry found it awkward to finish her sentence.

"Yeah…" Christin replied just as awkwardly.

"Sorry, it's just so weird to think of him…" Winry trailed off again.

"Jeesh, you grew up with him and you think its weird; imagine how I feel," Christin scoffed. "I'm no better at talking about it with you than him…"

"What do you mean?" Winry asked.

"I'm so bad at expressing my self that I just kinda screamed that I wanted him to fuck me," she chuckled. "He told me to ask him and I couldn't, so I sorta exploded…"

Winry opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it.

"What?" Christin asked.

"It's nothing!" Winry said quickly.

"Aw, c'mon, you can tell me. Female bonding, dude! We're homies now!" Christin replied, trying to act like a gangster but failing.

"Wh-what's it like?" Winry asked quietly.

"You've never… I'm not going to spoil it for you," Christin grinned. Winry punched her arm. Distant yelling caught their attention and the two focused on two small… well one was kinda burly compared to the other… figures.

"I don't care! I'm going to beat some sense into that girl! I'm still trying to clean up that mess she caused when she demolished half the building!" Roy's voice carried well over the distance. Christin made panicked noised and dashed inside.

"Can'ttalknow; I'minbigtrouble!!" she said quickly as she zoomed up to her room. Everyone blinked stupidly.

"What on earth has gotten into her?" Lin asked. Edward shrugged.

"Ed… Christin has a visitor…" Pinako said from the doorway. The blond man looked up and was met by Roy's hard stare and Riza's usual 'I'm still working for this moron' look. What surprised him was Alex Louis Armstrong stood behind the both of them.

"The brat's up in her room," he said, jerking his thumb in the general direction.

"Thanks Ed," Roy replied gruffly.

"Edward Elric, I am glad to see you've returned to your home world," Armstrong boomed.

"Nice to see you too, sir," he replied.

"Where is Alphonse? I expected him to be here," Armstrong furthered.

Edward's face fell and he looked up to where yelling could be heard. Roy was probably scolding Christin for that numbskull stunt she pulled before she found out what she was. Not that he was saying he shouldn't; she needed a good talking-to.

"I made a mistake and I'm trying to fix it. Can't you just leave me alone so I can do that?" Christin asked, stomping down the stairs.

"You still have a mess in Central to clean up! Half the city thinks you're dead and the other half thinks you're trying to destroy the country!" Roy barked.

"Mustang, before this carried on further, I would like to state the reason of my visit," Armstrong interjected. Roy nodded.

"Who're you?" Christin asked.

"I am Alex Louis Armstrong, formerly an official in the Amestrian military and more commonly known as the Strong-Arm Alchemist and presently the governor of Liore. I heard of you from Mustang and I suspected that you could help me," he boomed, the loudness of his voice making her cringe.

"What's wrong?" she asked in a small voice as she backed away ever so slowly. The man's sheer height frightened her. Edward feared her reaction when she saw his… trademark.

"For the past month or so there have been a string of strange disappearances in my beloved city. Witnesses claim to have seen a boy with dark blond hair and a tattoo on his neck fleeing from the scenes of the crimes. I figured you and the Elric's would be able to help, but I see Alphonse is missing. Do you know where he is?" Armstrong explained.

"He was taken by the Homunculi," she said bitterly.

"What? I thought they were all destroyed," Armstrong gasped.

"That's what I thought too, until they showed up. Turns out Envy is still alive, and he has this weird consort named Deceit who is physically identical to Christin. They're planning something, but we're not sure what," Edward said.

"And whatever that 'what' is, they need Al for it. But I'm going to get him back and foil their evil plot!" Christin growled.

"You sound like a cheesy comic book," Katie pointed out.

"Whatever is going on in Liore could very well be connected to the situation with Mr. Alphonse," May noted.

"Miss Rockbell!!" someone came barging through the front door. "Mr. Elric, thank heaven I found you!"

"What's wrong, George?" Winry asked. The old man ran a hand through his messy brown hair.

"It's Bella. She was playing near the caves and there was a rockslide. She's trapped inside. Several others are trying to dig her out. I came here hoping I would find the Fullmetal Alchemist," he panted. "Please, you must help save my daughter!"

"I'll do it," Christin offered.

"What can you possibly do with those scrawny arms? There's no way you'd be able to lift those large boulders!" George scoffed.

"Uh… I wouldn't do that if I were you. She's very temperamental," Edward warned. Indeed, as he spoke those words white sparks danced across her body and the air in the room shifted.

"I'll show you what I can do. Ed!! Do you know where these caves are?" she snapped.

"Y-yes!" he squeaked.

"You get over here!" she barked to George. "Okay, Ed, I need you to visualize the caves. I'm going to Jump us there."

"We're coming too," Lin interjected.

"I thought you couldn't Jump to places you've never been," he said, slightly bewildered.

"But I can tap into other people's memories and use those to Jump places. After all, it was your memories that landed us in this world, remember?" she grinned. In a flash of light they had vanished from the house and materialized a safe distance away from the cave entrance. Several men were hastily trying to remove very large boulders while a woman kept calling into the rock.

"George! Did you find Mr. Elric?" she breathed when the small group approached her.

"Yes, and a few of his friends," he nodded to Edward, Christin, Lin, Lanfan and May. Christin approached the pile of rocks and placed her hand on it.

"It's a pretty thick layer of rock blocking the entrance. The girl is just behind it, but the mouth of the cave is very unstable. If we're not careful, the entire thing could collapse," she diagnosed the situation.

"Can't you just walk through the rocks and get the girl?" Edward asked.

"In case you forgot, Ed, I got stuck in the floor last time I tried phasing through something. My control is still very shaky and if I go get her, one or both of us could get stuck in the rock or inside the cave itself," she shook her head.

"What if we dig? Go under the rocks?" Lanfan suggested.

"I doubt the girl will have enough oxygen to last the time it'll take to dig a hole big and deep enough. If it's too close to the surface, everything on top would crush whoever is below," she sighed.

"Forget that, I'm not going to just stand here and do nothing," Edward said as he clapped his hands and touched the ground. A large hole appeared and he began lowering himself into it. "This worked back in Mugear's mansion; it should work now. Lin, Christin, you two come with me. Lanfan and May will help with the entrance."

"If we die, I'm going to sue," Christin grumbled. She and Lin wriggled down the hole after Edward, who kept clapping his hands and touching the ground, making it disintegrate into dust and leaving a large wormhole for them to crawl through.

"How far in are we?" Lin asked after a while. Christin placed her hand on the ground above her head.

"I'm sensing motion a few yards behind us. It's big, so it might be the girl. I think now would be a good time to come up," she said shakily.

"Are you okay?" Edward asked, looking over his shoulder as he transmuted more ground. Christin was breathing quickly and looked more than a little scared.

"I'm claustrophobic. I'll be fine once I get outta here," she assured him. It was very dark inside the cave, as one would expect, but Christin's strange tattoos soon illuminated it, casting a soft blue-purple glow on everything. She pressed her hands together and created small orbs of floating light. A girl probably no older than eleven turned around. She was covered in dirt and looked like she had been crying.

"Are you Bella?" Edward asked. She nodded and sniffed. "We're going to get you out of here, just hang tight for a little while."

"Bella, oh my baby!" the woman wailed. Her voice sounded very close.

"Christin, do that weird touch thing and see how close they are," Edward instructed.

"Who died and made you king?" she mumbled as she meandered up to the rock and placed her hand on it, the cold stone rough against her skin. She could make out vibrations from the other side, which was how she was able to know what was going on and where they were. "Lanfan, May, can you hear me?" she called, feeling really stupid afterwards.

"Are you inside?" Lanfan's voice called back.

"Yeah, we found her. How's it going out there?"

"There's just one very large boulder blocking the entrance now, but none of us can move it. May's purification arts might blast the rock apart and we don't want to risk hurting anyone," she replied. Christin closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She focused on the rock's particles and made them reflect light differently, so instead of a rock they saw the image outside. Instantly the woman ran for them, but ran right into the invisible rock. She rubbed her nose.

"May, I need you over here, and Lanfan, you go over there," Christin pointed to two different ends of the entrance. "I'm going to try to move the rock. You two rush in and get Bella out of here, okay?" the two girls took their positions.

Edward watched as Christin began moving her arms and as the boulder slowly began to rise, letting sunlight seep into the cave. When the rock was high enough Lanfan and May swiftly extricated Bella and returned her to her parents. Lin ducked outside and waited anxiously. A very loud rumbling echoed in everyone's ears. May looked up and squeaked. Lots of boulders were rushing down the side of the mountain very fast.

"Prince!" Lanfan cried, dashing for the cave after Lin.

"What are you doing?!" christin cried.

"I'm trying to save my friends, that's what!" Lin snapped.

"You idiot, get back outside! I can't support the entire mountain!" she barked. Her arms gave out and the rockslide closed them in the cave, sealing off their exit completely. Christin dropped to her knees and wiped her forehead. "Ed, please tell me there's another exit," she panted.

"As far as I know, that's the only one," he sighed.

"We're trapped…" Lanfan said.

"I'm hungry…" Lin moaned. Edward rolled his eyes.

* * *

_A/N: okay, slight filler chapter here. Sorry. I just realized my Twilight thing with Edward and Bella. Just for the record, Edward Elric is WAY better than Edward Cullen. I hate Twilight (Bella needs to die) and I did not intend that, I just needed a name for the little girl. Yeah, I needed to somehow prep the story for this part here (caves) and the next part (Liore). Lior, Liore, Reole, whatever its name is. Hell, let's just call it_ The Town That Rose Is From_. Another major part in the story happens there, so be ready for it. If any of you smart people figure it out, don't tell anyone. R&R pleeeeze and thanksies to anyone who does/did. I heart you. PM me if you wants to talk._

_Until chapter 28…_


	28. Call of the Goddess

28: Call of the Goddess

"Where do those lead?" Christin asked, pointing to several off-shoots from the main chamber.

"Caves?" Edward suggested. "I dunno, probably mining stuff. Why?"

"I… don't know. I... never mind," she sighed, resting her head on his shoulder.

"If we can't get out, what do we do? The whole thing is sure to come crashing down on our heads if we try to get out," Lin muttered. Christin sighed angrily and started wandering around. What was this strange feeling? Something was tugging at her, pulling her. Something wanted her to find it…

"Where are you going?" Lanfan asked.

"Why is she glowing like that?" Lin inquired.

"I don't know. I've never seen her like that before," he shrugged. "Hey, what are you doing?" he asked as he caught up with her. She was walking very slowly, almost like she was possessed. Her entire body was glowing that eerie white and it looked like some invisible wind or something was making her hair and clothes float a bit. Her eyes were almost entirely white, save for that catlike relfectiveness where her irises would be.

"He asked you a question. You should answer him," Lanfan stated. Christin merely kept walking.

"God, what is wrong with you? Why can't you hear me?" Edward demanded. He grabbed her arm and was suddenly unusually calm. He felt a sort of… pulling sensation. He dropped his arm and let her be. The next step she took sent white light soaring up the walls and across the floor, filling in some invisible pattern on the rock. Intricate swirls laced the rock, casting a soft white glow met by Christin's own glow. She followed the patterns. Where was she going? Why couldn't she control her body? Why was there a voice in her head saying it was alright? All she could do was keep walking. Keep walking and hope that nothing too terrible happened. She could sense the vibrations trough the rock where Edward, Lin and Lanfan stepped, so she knew that she wasn't alone… for now at least.

"Maybe she can find a way out," Lanfan suggested.

"I hope you're right…" Lin mused.

They walked for quite a while, following Christin as she wandered her way through the tunnels, always following the light patterns. Each time one of them grew tired, she stopped and waited for them to recover some stamina, then continued on their seemingly endless journey into the heart of the mountain. They stopped when the path came to an end at a wall. Edward was about to open his mouth to comment on how pointless this was when Christin pressed her hands to the wall and it vanished, leaving a large opening into a chamber. She started walking again, going into the chamber. Large pillars shot up to the roof which glittered like, well… like someone had dumped a huge bucket of silver glitter on black paper. The pillars were wrapped in singular lines of light, each one a different color ranging from pink to purple and everything in between. The floor was made of rock as well, only it was a pearly white laced with shimmery black lines that made it look like marble. Large bluish crystals grew along the perimeter of the chamber, casting their bluish glow on the dark grey stone behind them and the white stone below them. More of those floating light things drifted in the air and across a large pool of greenish-blue water that looked really shallow. At the end of the pool, towering up against the wall stood a magnificent statue of a woman with long flowing hair and a similarly flowing dress. Her arms were raised above her head, like she was reaching up to caress the sky. What caught Edward attention was the tattoo across the statue woman's breast. It was identical to the one Christin bore, that strange cross made out of a circle (orb, whatever) with wings protruding from its sides and weird pointy things coming out of its top and bottom. Christin kept walking forward, out across the water until she stopped and knelt down. Or rather… her body knelt down. What Edward was certain was her spirit remained standing. Light shone brilliantly for a moment before dimming down enough to see. It formed what looked an awful lot like a transmutation circle around Christin… her body… her. The statue reflected a similar light and the image of the woman was projected from the rock. Christin's spirit knelt down and bowed her head.

"_My darling daughter of life… it gladdens my heart to see you."_

"I am honored, Mahweyna, to be graced by your presence," Christin replied.

"_These are your friends?"_

"Yes. The man with black hair is Ling Yao, a prince of Xing. The woman is his friend Lanfan. And the blond man is Edward Elric, an alchemist," she responded.

"_Ling Yao, Lanfan, Edward Elric, I thank you for keeping an eye on my daughter. She can be so troublesome at times."_

"That's an understatement…" Edward scoffed.

"Edward! How could you say such a thing in the presence of the Mother Goddess! I'd fucking drop kick you if I was still in my body!" Christin snapped.

"Like you're so much better. You cussed in front of her," he teased.

"Mahweyna, I meant no harm! I just… I just didn't… I'm going to shut up now…" she mumbled.

"_My daughter, there is no need for an apology. It is part of who you are, and I wouldn't want you any other way. Now, is there not something you want to ask of me?"_

"I need to know… what exactly am I? What am I capable of? Why do I have this power?" Christin asked.

"_I have chosen you. A great terror has fallen upon this land. Many alchemists have forgotten the true function of their beloved alchemy: all is one and one is all. They search for the Philosopher's Stone in hopes of transcending that law, but that is not allowed, for it is not the way the world functions. You know the cause of this discord."_

"I know the cause? How could I? The only evil I've encountered is that bastard McLean and those stupid Homunculi!" she cried. "It's them?" she asked a minute later.

"_Yes. The manifestation of the sins of the ones who have forgotten of Equivalent Exchange. Edward is one who knows this well."_

"Yeah… when Al and I tried to transmute our mom… it went awry and she became a Homunculus named Sloth. We just wanted to see her smile at us again. We forgot about the exchange and ended up losing our bodies. That one act nearly killed both of us, over the course of four long years," he admitted.

"_The one at the center of it is one who was never supposed to exist as a Homunculus."_

"Deceit…" Christin sighed. "But… she's my doppelganger, right? Shouldn't one of us… be dead or something?"

"_The human Aislinn died shortly before your arrival. That much was planned. What was not supposed to happen was the transmutation that gave birth to Deceit. The flow of the Lifestream has been disrupted and the world has been thrown off course."_

"Hey, if you're some great goddess of some Cretan tribe, how come you know so much about alchemy?" Edward asked.

"_I know the Lifestream. Alchemy is just one way of controlling it, like my daughter's power or the little Xing girl's purification arts. Surely you have noticed that they are more or less the same."_

"I… guess you're right," he sighed.

"_Even as we speak, the Lifestream continues to be disrupted. Since the birth of the Homunculus Deceit, there have been seven disruptions. Eight, including hers. What puzzles me is the larger disruption that seems to be lingering for quite some time; an old disruption that was never corrected. The previous six were corrected, but the seventh never was. Now these new ones are appearing, but what startles me is how close together they are occurring. I believe that the older disruption, the Homunculus Envy, is the one behind this."_

"I should've known…" Edward hissed under his breath.

* * *

"What is wrong, Vengeance?" Sloth asked. She was a woman in her mid twenties with silky black hair. The Ouroboros tattoo was on the palm of her right hand. She was accompanied by Lust, the very embodiment of the word. Lust had wavy blond hair and her tattoo was in the center of her chest, much like the old Lust. Sloth had been a woman who died of a disease. Lust was a woman who committed suicide. Both were found by Envy and turned into Homunculi, transmuted by random wandering alchemists he nabbed off the streets. Central was a large city; no one would miss a drifter here and there.

"It's Deceit…" he mumbled. About three hours ago, she had stopped functioning normally and just stood as if in a daze, engulfed in a large black cloud. Her black magic made strange patterns on the floor and nearby walls. "I can't talk to her at all. It's like she stopped."

"I'm sure she will come around eventually," Lust scoffed, flipping her hair over her shoulder and flouncing away. Sloth followed suit.

Alphonse tenderly touched the left side of his neck, the place where _his_ Ouroboros tattoo was. He was different from the other Homunculi, because he wasn't born. He was made by injecting Red Stones into his bloodstream and being transmuted. He was an artificial Homunculus; an artificial fake being. He was also able to use alchemy, something the first Wrath was able to do because he had obtained the limbs of Edward. A low growl escaped his throat. If Edward was truly his brother, why did he not come rescue him? Perhaps he did not know where the Homunculi were staying, that much made sense. But still… was he even trying to find him? Envy had forbidden him to go hunt him down, so his life was mostly dull. He still retained his humanity, so he kept hoping that Edward would come save him… and that Christin would come with him so he could apologize. He had wronged her by sneaking around with Deceit, and then said unkind things about things that weren't really her fault. His humanity was at war with his Homunculus side: he really just wanted to kill them both. Christin for toying with him and practically cheating on his with his own brother, and Edward for allowing that to happen. He knew how smitten he was with her! Why did he always get everything? _He_ got to keep his body when they transmuted their mother. _He_ got special attention from Winry because of his automail. _He_ got to be a state alchemist. Why couldn't Alphonse have those things? Was he somehow inferior to Edward? He looked up from his musing when someone's footsteps echoed in the halls of the abandoned mansion.

"I have a message from Hakuro. He wanted me to tell you to stop kidnapping people from Liore and move on to another city. If too many people disappear from one city, someone will surely find us out," Robin McLean reported.

"I am targeting Liore for a reason. It's a city my brother knows well, and there are many connections to that city. One in particular I'm trying to set off so it will be easier for me to take down both him and Christin. An old friend is now the governor of that city, so it'll make everything that much easier," Alphonse replied. "That man is one to talk. He's only a pawn in the game, and that is only because you work under him. I wouldn't be surprised if he died soon."

"You've got some nerve talking to me like that. Don't you even know who I am? I'm the one who helped start this whole thing, by raping your little girlfriend. What I don't understand is why Aislinn would forget about me…" Robin replied.

"She didn't. Aislinn is standing right in front of you," Alphonse gestured to Deceit.

"You've gone mad, little boy. Don't confuse reality with your stupid fantasies," Robin growled before leaving.

Ooh, that kid really ticked him off. If he wasn't so crucial to that green haired man's plan, he would've left to find Aislinn long ago. But with his amazing ability to breach and warp time and space through alchemy, well… he just couldn't be let go now, when the plan was moving into its final phase. He wandered through the halls until he came into the ballroom. Grand sweeping arches made of marble, a smooth floor crafted entirely of obsidian, large glass windows that always filled the room with light no matter where the sun's position was; it was a truly marvelous room. Now several grubby alchemists were painting a giant transmutation circle in the center of the obsidian floor with paint so white it almost hurt his eyes. They wouldn't tell him what it was for, only that he needed to be the one conducting the transmutation. That made no sense, since that Alphonse kid could do alchemy as well as anyone. They could just have him do it, whatever it was.

"Why did that kid have to pick Liore to target? Of all the cities… why here?" he mused. He recalled vaguely the rebellion he and Hakuro were a part of… that girl with pink hair who he had raped. She had become a mute then. He never saw her again after that…. He wondered what had become of her. He glanced out the window at the orange desert landscape. The sun was low in the sky, night not far ahead, and it painted everything orange… a close, suffocating color he had seen once in a Disney movie about a lion when he went to America once… Aislinn's America. Liore was a few miles east of the mansion, and he faintly heard Alphonse leave to go kidnap another alchemist. There was still one more Homunculus to transmute and its human body was really starting to smell.

* * *

"Envy seems to be in quite a lot of mishaps, doesn't he? I mean there was that time he tried to kill us and we all got eaten…" Lin mumbled. "He's one big lump of evil."

"_Yes, he is the cause of all this discord. My daughter, I never meant to thrust this burden upon you."_

"What burden? If you mean what happened to Alphonse, it's my fault. I wasn't loyal to him and he left of his own will… I guess…" Christin muttered.

"_It is not that, child. I chose you because of your will to live. You are without a doubt the strongest Kali'rah I've ever seen. You've been through hardship after hardship and you always come out of them alive, if not well. You may think that you are worthless, but you have a far greater purpose in life."_

"Chosen? What have you chosen me for?" she asked.

"_I need you to correct the disruptions in the Lifestream. Deceit is a part of you, in a way, but because she was not supposed to live as a Homunculus, some of your actions affect her, though her own might not affect you. The human Aislinn was a kind hearted, though broken, person. She suffered much like you did back in your origin world. That is why she is the way she is. You know this well, daughter, for you act the same at times."_

"But _why me_? Why would you chose someone who is so messed up?" Christin's voice rose an octave or two.

"_If I had chosen someone perfect, there would be no room to grow as a human. You are flawed, yes, but that is part of the beauty of being a human. Being flawed and finding someone who accepts that."_

The goddess smiled at Edward, who blushed and looked away. That last line sounded awfully familiar.

"_You have a keen ability to sense one's true emotions, though you often ignore your own. Use that gift to find the purity in your heart so you can restore the Lifestream. As long as you doubt your worth, you will never succeed in what you must accomplish"_

"But that means killing the evil, right? I killed once; I don't know if I can do it again…" Christin muttered.

"_You cannot kill evil, child. For good cannot exist without evil, like life cannot exist without death, or light without darkness. I am not asking you to kill. I am asking you to do as you see fit to restore the natural flow of the world."_

"Wait, where are you going?" Christin asked as the image began to disappear.

"_Do not worry. We will meet again one day soon."_

The image disappeared for good and Christin's spirit fell back into her body as the light emanating from her body faded. She didn't wake up and began sinking into the water. Edward took a step forward, but paused because of his inability to swim. He shook his head and splashed out into the water. His head went under because of a sharp drop in the floor. He came up sputtering for air and moved his arms and legs back and forth to keep himself afloat. Winry was probably going to kill him for getting his automail ruined, but whatever. He sucked in a huge gulp of air and plunged under water, kicking awkwardly to propel himself forward. Christin was floating near the bottom of the pool, completely unconscious by the look of it. He grabbed her arm, frustrated by how the water slowed his movements, and clasped her in his arms. His breath was running out and his lungs were beginning to hurt, so he planted his feet on the floor and pushed really hard, sending them up towards the surface. Just when he thought his lungs were going to burst, his head broke through the surface.

"What happened? I've never seen anything like that before in my life!" Lanfan breathed as she helped Edward out of the water.

"She's a freak!" Lin noted.

"I'll tell her you said so," Edward grinned.

"But we're still stuck in here. How do we get out?" Lanfan asked. Christin coughed and spat water out of her mouth. She sat up and coughed until she thought her brains were going to come out of her skull.

"Hey, where are we? How'd we get here?" she asked. She got three bewildered looks from her friends.

"You don't remember?" Lin asked.

"How can you not remember?" Lanfan added.

"You just had a conversation with some freaky statue lady and you don't remember?" Edward jumped in.

"I remember that much, jeesh I'm not stupid. I just don't remember how I got here, is all," she remarked, wiping her mouth. "And she's not a statue lady; she's the Mother Goddess Mahweyna."

"Well… you kinda blanked out and were all possessed-like and walking really slowly down a random tunnel, but you looked like you knew where you were going so we just went along with it," Edward replied.

"It was her…" she breathed. "She led me here because she needed to tell me that stuff about the Lifestream and redirecting its flow…… we're still stuck in the caves though, aren't we?"

"Do you think you can Jump us out of here?" Lin asked. "Just outside works if the house is too far for you."

"I can get us out, but I'll need to recharge my power afterwards. I used up too much all at once," she gave a small smile. She held out her hand and the others touched theirs to it. In a split second, they were outside the caves.

"You're okay!!" May cried.

"Thank the stars!" the mother of Bella sighed.

"Thank you so much for saving my daughter. How can I ever repay you?" George rushed up to them.

"You can take me back home for now," Christin sighed. She was leaning heavily against Edward, who was supporting most of her weight.

"You look tired," he chuckled. George was one of the few people in Resembool who owned a car, so he went back home to get it.

"Don't… don't do that. I can't recover if you stop touching me," Christin protested when he started removing his arm from around her waist. "It's weird, I know, but it seems that my powers recharge when I touch you. Don't misinterpret that," she added.

"Sure, sure…" Edward grinned. "So what's next? Central or Liore?"

"Well… I figured that Liore would be a slightly easier problem to solve and that Central would take longer, and we don't know how much time we have before something big happens, so we're going to Liore…….. Where's Liore?" she asked.

"It's in the desert," Edward replied. He heard Christin swear under her breath.

* * *

_A/N: can any of you guess what happens next? Let's just say that a certain someone will be making their debut in this story… and making things all the more complicated for our beloved… lovers. Loyalties will be tested and Alphonse meets up with the people he might hate, but might still like. And it all happens in that lovely desert city where almost everything major alchemy-wise happens: Liore._

_Until chapter 29…_


	29. Desert Flower

29: Desert Flower

"What's this?" Katie asked, poking the large black thing slung over Christin's shoulder.

It was a sunny day, in March now, and Christin, Edward, Kelsie, Katie, Lin, Winry, Lanfan and May waited at the train platform for the trains that would take them to their destinations. Kelsie was going back to Xenotime, Lin and Lanfan were headed to Rush Valley because Lanfan wanted to browse around at other automail styles, May was going to Central with Roy and Riza, and Christin, Edward, Katie and Winry were going to Liore with Armstrong. Everyone had something that needed to be done.

"It's a guitar. I'm learning how to play… sorta," Christin replied. She removed it and opened it up, pulling out a very new-looking electric guitar. "I made it myself. I just took what I knew of guitars from my world (which was really just how it looked) and kinda improvised on the mechanical stuff inside that makes it electric, but compared to the guitars used in most of the songs on Saru, it's freakishly perfect."

"How'd you get the materials to make a guitar?" Lin asked.

"Issa secret!" she chirped. "Besides, you're not in the band, so you don't need to know."

"What band?" Winry asked.

"The band! Our little group of peeps!" she gestured at them. "Well, it gets tiring listing everyone's name, so I gave us a collective name since we're all stuck together."

"I'm probably gonna regret this but… what's the name?" Edward asked.

"The band?" Christin offered. "Okay, so I didn't think of a super cool title, yet. So sue me."

"Jeez, it you're gonna go ahead and name us, at least come up with something better than just 'the band'. I mean really!" Katie sighed.

"Alright, if you're gonna nit pick… give me a few hours; I'll think of something so cool it'll blow your mind right out of your ass!" Christin said hotly. Edward and Winry dissolved into fits of stifled giggles.

"I love the way you use vulgar language," Edward grinned.

"I don't get it," Christin replied. She was answered with more laughter.

"You wouldn't," Winry giggled. The girl could be painfully oblivious at times, but all the same it was amusing. A train whistle pierced the dull hubbub of the station. Katie checked her watch.

"That's our train. Where's Armstrong and them?" she asked, looking around.

"I can't really say 'stay out of trouble' since it seems to follow you everywhere, so I guess I'll just say bye," Roy said as he approached the 'band'. Christin turned around to look at him. He looked the same as when she still lived with him: blue military uniform, black hair, and that eye patch. She never really asked him what it's from, but she knew anyway; Riza had told her. "What are you staring at?"

"Your eye patch. I was just wondering when you got it," she replied absently. "Because I already know why."

"I never told you…" he started.

"Riza told me… well, I kinda wormed it outta her, but whatever. I just wanted to hear it from you," she shrugged as she boarded the train and leaned out a window.

"You don't know what I've done. I've…" he started again.

"I don't care!!" she burst. "I know what you did in Ishbal! I know that you killed Winry's parents!" Riza had told her as much as she knew. Christin was legally his kid and she deserved to know.

Roy opened his mouth to speak, but found himself interrupted a third time in the past minute.

"I don't see you as a murderer. I don't see you as a state alchemist!" she cried over the whistle. "Even though we're not bound by blood I see you as my father!!" tears rushed down her face, flying away as the train pulled out of the station. She stood at the window long after the station had shrunk from view. She rubbed her face and sat down, smushing her face against the glass.

"I can honestly say I never saw that one coming," Edward commented after a while.

"Huh?" Christin replied.

"You're always going on about how much you hate your real father, so I never expected you to say that Roy was. I guess the jerk has a good side after all," he mumbled. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder.

"We're on the same wavelength. You _know_," she replied. "I never expected to say that either. It just kinda came up… like word vomit."

"Word vomit?" Katie snickered.

"Yes, word vomit. Shut up and leave my speech patterns alone!" Christin snapped. "So uh… where are we gonna stay when we get to Liore?"

"Think nothing of it; you shall stay at my home," Armstrong boomed.

"Um, that's okay. We'll stay in a hotel or something," Edward quickly said.

"Honey, we're kinda broke," Christin noted. "We spent all our money on train tickets, remember?"

"There, the problem is solved," Armstrong smiled.

"No really, we'll…" Edward started.

"You really wish to argue with such a strong physique? If we settle this like men you're sure to be crushed!" Armstrong boomed, ripping off his shirt and flexing his muscles (complete with the pink sparklies that appeared very time he did that). Christin sat up and scooted as close to the wall as possible. She covered her eyes with her hands.

"My eyes… oh god, my eyes… I need therapy…" she moaned. Edward chuckled nervously.

* * *

"There's nothing…" she mumbled several days later. "Like, seriously… nothing."

"It's a desert. What'd you expect, clowns and flying ice cream trucks?" Winry sassed.

"But… there's nothing! Just lotsa sand, as far as the eye can see…." Christin wailed, flopping on the ground. She started waving her arms and legs. "Sand angel!" she chirped.

"Oh, get up," Edward moaned.

"Where's… anything?" she asked, swatting sand off her jacket before taking it off.

"Everything is that way," Armstrong pointed in a direction.

"Figures…" Christin grumbled. Edward took her hand and began dragging her along behind the rest of the 'band', though soon she was walking normally. "I think this is the first time we've held hands," she noted.

"I guess you're right. It's also the first time either of us gave the other a nickname," Edward nodded. Christin cast him a puzzled look. "Back when we left Resembool, you called me 'honey'. Don't you remember?"

"Oh… yeah…" she replied, blushing. "Sorry if it bothered you…"

"Why are you blushing?" he asked.

"I dunno…" she shrugged. "Do you not like being called 'honey'? Should I try something else?"

"Like what?" he chuckled.

"Shnookums?" she suggested playfully. Edward swatted her shoulder. "Guess not…"

"You got that right," he grinned. "Just Ed is fine, like you've always done. It's you who needs a nickname."

"Don't shorten it," she said firmly.

"Christin?..." Edward started. "Umm… I have a question."

"Shoot," she replied.

"Uh… what would you do if I got you pregnant?" he asked, averting his eyes.

"That won't happen, Ed," she assured him. "I used my power to make it so I wouldn't get pregnant by anyone except the person I love, you, and only when we're ready to have kids, if we ever are. There's nothing to worry about… but if I did get pregnant by you, I'd raise the kid."

"Like with Marcus?" he asked.

"No, not exactly. I wouldn't rush it. Besides, it's not that I don't love Marcus. I just wasn't ready to raise a kid. That's why I sped up his growth. He still has all the love and stuff that he would've gotten if I had raised him like a normal kid. But… it'd be different with you, because I'd want it. Well, I don't mean that I don't want Marcus, I just…" she gave an exasperated sigh.

"I get it. It's okay," he kissed the side of her head. "I actually understand some of what you're saying now."

"Aishiteru…" she muttered softly. Oh, he knew what that meant. 'I love you.' "Now… I have a question: does he always… uh… flex his muscles like that?"

"Yeah. I thought I was used to it but I guess I was wrong. That's not as bad as it gets, trust me. I've seen him get really close to people and flex right in their faces. It's scary," Edward laughed. "And he always has those pink sparkle things."

"I'm gonna hafta disinfect my eyeballs…" Christin wailed.

* * *

"The city is just ahead," Armstrong announced about an hour later.

"How much longer?" Winry wheezed. The heat combined with the tedious walk was taking its toll on everyone.

"Try looking up," Katie nudged her. Winry looked up and saw the edge of a city not twenty yards in front of them.

Christin couldn't help noticing Edward's expression. What was that she saw reflecting in his eyes? Nostalgia... or longing? Either way, she sensed that he had been here a few times before and that he had some memories of this place from back before she dropped into his life; from a time she would never be able to know as well as he, because she hadn't been there. Again she was the outsider, a stranger intruding on someone else's life. It had been that way with her old friends; they had grown up together, mostly, and went to the same school before high school, whereas she came from another. Yes, they all got along, but memories were a rather touchy subject because someone never quite knew exactly what happened. That was happening again; she was approaching a world she could not enter. And that notion made her heart twist in pain. Edward's expression changed again, from fond memories to… shock? Well, that much she could understand. Armstrong's likeness was everywhere, from statues to signs above restaurants. She herself was cringing in fear. The man was kind, but he could be a bit… what was the word… extreme. She pushed up the strap of the bag holding her guitar and hiked up her pants, because for some reason belts never seemed to fully do their jobs for her.

"This is my humble abode, where you are free to stay as long as you wish," Armstrong declared as the group approached a large two story mansion with, surprise surprise, more statues of Armstrong scattered among those weird bush-tree things that were trimmed to look like something, usually an animal (like Christin had seen in movies) only there were more Armstrong's.

"He's everywhere…" Saru commented. Christin nodded her head in agreement. He proceeded to give them a tour of the estate, complete with a very long and _very_ detailed description about the Armstrong family.

"What really bugs me is I've heard all this before…" Edward groaned halfway through the tour. "The Armstrong's did this and that's been in the family for generations. Doesn't he ever get tired?"

"Oh, big brother, you're back?" a girl with pale blond hair in a blue sun dress asked as the group rounded into a garden.

"This is my sister, Catherine Elle Armstrong. Catherine, these are some friends who are going to help with the disappearances." Armstrong said.

"Oh, that's so kind of you to help. The entire city is in a panic and no one knows what to do," Catherine gushed. "Isn't this wonderful Rose?"

"Yes, because this city really needs something else to try to uproot it. I'm glad that you've come…" a girl with dark skin and pink bangs walked into view, a young boy clinging to her leg. "Edward…"

"Hey Rose. Long time no see," Edward grinned. Rose engulfed him in a hug. He was brought back to his senses when he felt Christin's hand leave his own. He turned to her and got an icy glare that demanded an explanation.

"I hope you don't expect me to introduce myself, seeing as how it would be improper considering you two know each other," she said crisply.

"Right, I forgot. Rose, this is Christin Fallbrook. You know Winry, and the girl with black hair is her apprentice Katie," he said.

"Charmed…" Christin drawled. She did not like the familiarity between Edward and Rose. She accepted Winry because she was his childhood friend and more or less knew where she was coming from. However, he had not mentioned a word about Rose, but what really ticked her off was that she looked like Noa.

"What has gotten into you?" Edward hissed.

"Later…" she replied dismissively. Edward sighed. Oh boy… now he was going to hear it. He had completely forgotten to tell her about Rose. Christin could be downright bitchy when she was left out of something. "Mr. Armstrong, I'm a bit tired from the trip. Would you be so kind as to show me where I'll be staying so I might rest?"

"Oh, of course. The trait of having a large amount of stamina has been running in the Armstrong line for quite a long time. I do forget that others are not as lucky at times. Right this way," he led her off, prattling on about more things running in the Armstrong line while Winry and Katie followed.

"You're in trouble now, Ed! My master's going to bite your head off!" Saru giggled before flying away after her master.

"Ed is that girl really… Christin Fallbrook? From the big trial over if she was a threat or not because she's not from our world? The girl who stood up to the military?" Rose asked.

"Yeah, why? Are you some nutter fan like Winry?" he replied. Rose shook her head.

"I just admire her for standing up to those brutes, after all they've done…" she answered.

"Look Rose… I didn't tell her about you so I think it'd be best if you avoid her as much as possible until I can smooth things out with her," he sighed.

"Why? I can handle her myself," Rose insisted.

"No, I mean seriously. Stay away from her. She has these really freaky powers that are closely related to alchemy and she doesn't know how to control them very well and she has awful mood swings over nothing at all sometimes and she can get very violent," he said in one breath.

"Really? She seems kind of sweet and harmless to me?" Rose replied.

"Uh-huh… 'sweet and harmless' doesn't leave this on someone's forehead," he mumbled, pushing his bangs out of his face to reveal a rather large cut over his left eye. It had stopped bleeding about fifteen minutes ago.

"Oh my, what happened?" Rose asked.

"She happened. She got pissed off cuz we walked all the way here from the train station and she started swinging her guitar around and I kinda walked into it," he admitted. "You'll learn when you see her, and I don't think you'll have to wait very long…" he turned around and began walking back to the house.

"Ed… it's nice to see you again," Rose called.

"Yeah… you too," he grinned.

* * *

"Ah, this is our friend Marcus Fallbrook. This is Winry Rockbell, Katie Lioncourte, and…" Armstrong started. The 'band' was lounging in the main room, recovering from their arduous journey.

"I know who she is," Marcus interrupted. Edward and Rose entered the room at that moment. "I think I would know my own mother."

"She's your mother, Marcus? How?" Rose asked.

"Isn't it obvious?" he replied, pulling Christin off the couch and standing next to her. His facial features were more masculine, but definitely hers and he had her strange color-changing eyes. In fact, the only thing that everyone noticed was different was Marcus's ash grey hair color.

"But you two look like you're the same age! How old are you?" Rose cried.

"I'm twenty," Christin snapped. "He's seventeen. Satisfied?"

"What? How can that be possible? There's no way you could've had a child when you were three!" Rose continued.

"Listen, Rose or Daisy or whatever the hell your name is. You have no idea what kind of bullshit I've been through. Once you've lived my life, then you'll get a clue. I didn't have him when I was three because that's virtually impossible. I sped up his growth so he'd be seventeen, in case something happened to me because I have no fucking way to support him. Don't speak of me as if you know me, because you damn well don't," Christin interceded coolly.

"Christin, that was really uncalled for…" Edward started.

"Oh, go blow it out your ass!" she hissed before turning on her heel and storming off.

"Pardon me for breathing…" he muttered. "Sorry. I told you, though…"

"I guess you can't judge a book by its cover…" Rose mused. A moment later, Christin reappeared.

"I forgot my shikigami," she replied, plucking Saru from off the table.

"Is that a toy?" the little boy asked. "Can I play with it?"

"What's your name kid?" Christin asked.

"It's Oliver," he chirped.

"Try not to break her, okay? Saru, play with Oliver until he says you can come back to me," she ordered.

"Yes master!" Saru smiled, flying over to Oliver, who immediately began pulling on her tail and ears. Christin power-walked back to her room.

"Your girlfriend has some interesting mood swings," Armstrong commented.

"Who told you that?" Edward asked.

"Why, she did, of course," he replied.

"That's odd. She never does stuff like that…" the blond alchemist mused.

"She's your girlfriend?" Rose asked quietly.

"In a nutshell, yeah," he nodded. He couldn't help noticing the sadness that flashed across Rose's face. Why couldn't things be simple?

Alphonse chuckled to himself. He was perched on the windowsill, just outside the line of vision for anyone inside. He had just found his next kidnapping victim.

* * *

_A/N: okay, I'm sure you've noticed that I don't really put a lot about the Homunculi in here, but that's because if I write about them too much right now, it'd give away a really juicy part of the story. Also… I haven't really planned everything out exactly yet, so I can't really write about the Homunculi that much. A few chapters from now, everything will be revealed so just hang tight and keep reading and reviewing._


	30. Nighttime Plaza

30: Nighttime Plaza

"Christin, its dinnertime," Winry knocked on the door.

"I ain't hungry…" came a muted reply.

"You haven't eaten a thing all day; you hafta come out sometime," she sighed. The door opened and Christin's head poked out.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Pasta," Winry replied.

"I'll eat a little I guess…" Christin sighed, closing the door behind her quietly. She plodded along silently behind Winry. She really wasn't hungry; she had lost her appetite that afternoon. Besides, Edward and that girl would be there. She was mad at them and was not in the mood to be in the same room with them, which meant Edward would have to find somewhere else to sleep tonight since they were sharing a room. She couldn't believe he hadn't told her about Rose! She thought he had told her everything…

"I think she's broken…" Oliver came up to her, Saru in his outstretched hands. "She just stopped moving suddenly."

"She'll be fine," Christin smiled, pressing two fingers to Saru's forehead and instantly charging her battery (after all, she was still her old iPod even though she had a human form). Saru blinked and sat up.

"Hey, what's going on? We were in the living room…" Saru mumbled. "I smell food…" she drooled.

"Oliver, come and eat," Rose called.

"Love her kid. Kinda hate her," Christin mumbled.

"Behave…" Winry sighed.

"You really look like him…" Rose mumbled to Marcus a few minutes later.

"Like whom?" he asked.

"Like the man who gave me Oliver…" she sighed, ruffling her son's hair as he fed Saru.

"Really? My mom told me I kinda look like my father, that we have the came hair color," Marcus noted.

"You have the same hair color as Oliver's father… I wonder… no. maybe not…" she trailed off.

"Where is his father?" Christin asked dully as she picked at her food idly.

"Oh, we're not married. I… I was raped," Rose admitted.

"Really? Me too," Christin replied. "Do you know who did it?"

"Yes… it was a man working under Hakuro. His name was…" she paused to remember. "I know his name, because I heard people talking to him."

"Take your time," Christin said.

"Rose, you don't have to talk about if it you don't want to," Catherine jumped in.

"It's alright. I've moved forward," she smiled. "His name was… Robin McLean." Christin's eyes widened and the window behind her shattered, a result of a sudden burst of her powers.

"I really… really hate that man…." She growled through gritted teeth. "Excuse me," she said, standing up and walking away.

"Where is she going, Mommy?" Oliver asked.

"I don't know," Rose replied, looking at Edward. He shrugged and got up to follow her. She was walking briskly around their room, tidying up a huge mess she made with her alchemy notes and whatnot before she grabbed her jacket. She almost ran right into Edward.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back whenever; we'll talk then," she replied absently.

"You'll get lost," he pointed out.

"Like you care…" she muttered under her breath,

"Actually, I do. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about Rose, but I can honestly say nothing really happened," he sighed, raking a hand through his hair.

"Nothing 'really' happened. Okay, what's the 'really' part?" she asked, making finger quotes.

"She told me she loved me once, but that was a long time ago. It never went anywhere because I went through the Gate, then there was this whole war Al and I started, then you showed up… I forgot… because I was so in love with you. And I still am," he said. "And I probably always will be because you're so… so…" he stopped, unable to put his feelings into words.

"You can tell me what I am when I get back," she patted his shoulder and walked away. He sighed and stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked into their room. The desk by the window was buried under a mess of papers, about half of them drawings, probably, a fourth alchemy notes and the other fourth a combination, as she drew on nearly any and every surface. He remembered when he went into her room once and found some drawings on the walls. Not papers pinned or taped to the walls, but he could take an eraser and start erasing the pencil marks on the wall itself. The mess extended to the floor and part of the large bed in the corner. Her guitar was half buried under some papers, as if she had been playing it then got distracted, which wouldn't really surprise him. He picked up the topmost paper and started reading it.

_I spend my days walking the night_

_I forgot if I tried to remember_

_I thought I knew what I sorta know_

_Nothing makes sense anymore_

_Cuz I've enclosed myself in sin_

_I pretend to be an angel_

_That's my sin_

_In this game that I've been playing I can't win_

_I found a truth inside the lies_

_I got lost in what I was trying to find_

_This current life is slowly killing me_

_Nothing makes sense anymore_

_Cuz I've encased myself in sin_

_I pretend to be an angel_

_That's my sin_

_In this game I've been playing I can't win_

_I tried to fix what wasn't broken_

_I get lonely when I'm not alone_

_I had an enemy inside a friend_

_I'm a demon disguised as an angel_

_I pretend to be an angel_

_That's my sin_

_In this game I've been playing I can't win_

_This is the angel's sin_

_I spent my days walking the night_

"Oh, sorry Rose," he looked up after bumping into someone. "I was… occupied."

"What's that?" she asked, eyeing the paper in his hand.

"I'm not sure. I think it might be a song," he shrugged flipping the paper over so she could read.

"Who wrote it?" she asked as her purple eyes scanned the lines scribbled on the paper.

"Call me crazy, but I think Christin did," he replied.

* * *

"Brighten the darkness; lead me back home," Christin muttered to the night sky. It was a special chant she had devised so that she wouldn't get lost, though it only worked at night because it made the stars shine brighter, which made a sort of path she could follow after wandering around for a while. She waited until the star closest to her lit up brighter than it was before, and then started walking.

It wasn't very late, perhaps half-past eight more or less, but there weren't many people out tonight. Nonetheless, she adjusted the way light reflected off her body, making herself virtually invisible. Not two seconds later, she readjusted it so she wasn't invisible, as doing such tricks required much concentration unless you had years of practice with that particular power and didn't need to think about it as much. She had been getting fairly good at warping the air flow around objects, thus making them 'float' and 'fly' and 'levitate' and whatnot. One day, she had been so bored as to pick up a stick, say 'Wingardium Leviosa' and make something levitate like in the Harry Potter books she'd liked to read. Naturally, no one understood what she was doing, but she didn't care; she was used to that by now. All the same, it made her a bit sad that no one quite got the pop culture references she made. A dry breeze ruffled her hair, making it fly in her face. Not that it was ever _out_ of her face. No matter what she did, her hair never stayed out of her face for very long, and that sometimes made it look messy. Another thing that made her sad was that she had no hair straightener and so her multi-colored locks sometimes hung in slight waves around her face. That had always irritated her, though she wasn't sure exactly why.

She stopped shuffling and looked up. A large fountain in the center of a town square rose before her. She sighed at the depiction of Armstrong. Feeling completely listless, she slumped down on the edge and held her head in her hands. Why did she feel so awful? She had had a similar situation with both Noa and Winry. Edward apparently was very popular among women, as she had noticed signs of affection from both women. Noa's situation had ended in disaster, but she had managed to smooth things over with Winry, though they still fought sometimes. Now Rose was part of the picture. Just because she looked kinda like Noa didn't mean things would end the same way… right? She really hoped not. And then there was that _thing_ she probably really needed to tell Edward, but was scared to… she meant… how would he react to such a thing? Oh, why couldn't life be simple? All she had really wanted was a simple high school romance (though she was clearly not in high school anymore), the kind you read about in stories where everything was all peachy except for a blowout here and there. Her love story was more along the lines of _Romeo and Juliet_… maybe not, as her and Edward's love wasn't forbidden and neither of them was dying because they got the wrong info or ate poisonous plants or stabbed themselves. No, their love was just… very, very, very, VERY complicated. Forgetting that she was perched on the rim of the fountain, she reclined backwards and fell in the water.

"Ugh!" she exclaimed. She wriggled around until she was upright and then she crawled out and began wringing out her clothes and hair. Sure, she could've just made the water evaporate, but where was the fun in that? Besides, it was near summer in the desert. Even for nighttime it was really warm. She'd dry off soon enough. She glanced back at the water and rested her arms on the rim, letting her fingers trail in the water and make small ripples. She sighed. Water always made her feel calm, though it was not her 'element'. She got a weird sensation and actually looked at the water. Where her fingers touched it, it was a sort of metallic green, instead of the star-spotted reflection caused by the night sky. A faint orange glow was cast upon it by the gaslights that were being lit by a random person. She pulled her fingers away and the greenish color faded. After doing a quick check to make sure no one was watching, or at least paying attention, she climbed up onto the rim and dipped her foot in the water. She sent a surge of her power into the liquid, changing the entire thing into the metallic green color. She removed her foot and then stepped again, this time her foot resting on a small disk of her power which hovered just above the surface of the water. She knew that her little sugar-firefly-orb-things were generating during this process, as they often did when she was using her powers for something like this. Soon she was dancing in time to a melody playing in her head, a song she had heard just before she left her old world, entitled 'Fireflies'. It was rather pointless and the lyrics made no real sense, but it was a cute song overall.

* * *

"Are you sure Christin wrote this?" Winry asked.

"I think I would recognize her handwriting by now, Winry," Edward tapped the paper. She used a calligraphic style, with lots of swirls and scribbles even though she used pencil, like she was too busy to erase her mistakes.

"It's such a melancholy song…" Katie mused.

"The entire thing is a contradiction. One line says one thing and the next says the opposite," Armstrong pointed out.

"It doesn't make any sense to me," Rose said as she rejoined the group. She had just put Oliver down to sleep.

"It would if you know her. She herself is a contradiction, if you think about it. She's taciturn, yet loud and slightly obnoxious. She doesn't care and yet she does. She really can't remember if she forgets something or not. It's totally her," Edward nodded.

"I guess you would know that better than the rest of us," Winry sighed. "I still get headaches if I try to understand her."

"I know the feeling," Katie agreed. "I guess if you don't think about it, it does make sense."

"Now my head's starting to hurt…" Rose moaned.

"What's that?" Marcus asked, pointing out the window. Not far away a strange glow seemed to be emanating from the city.

"It's probably Christin," Edward yawned and scratched the back of his head. "I'm turning in."

"Shouldn't you wait up for her to come back?" Rose asked.

"Ah, she'll come back when she comes back. It's best to just leave her be when she's like that," he shrugged. "Besides, it's not like she's going to do something stupid. She knows better than that."

* * *

Christin slowed down her dance, eventually coming to a full stop. A small crowd had gathered and applauded her. She smiled, bowed then started making her way back home, following the star trail she had set up. The walk back to the mansion was much shorter than the walk from it. Then again, she had been shuffling along when she left and now that she had danced away some of her frustrations, she felt better, more energetic despite the fatigue that bombarded her. It was really late now, nearly ten. She had been dancing for an hour and a half. She surreptitiously made her way back inside and managed to get inside her room before she got caught.

"Have fun?" Edward asked. He chuckled as Christin panicked at the suddenness of his voice. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

"Yeah, actually. I feel better now. I'm sorry about how I acted earlier. It's not like its Rose's fault you forgot to tell me about her," she said pointedly.

"Yeah… about that…" he started, "I decided what you are, what about you keeps me so… captivated."

"Oh really?" she asked, shrugging out of her jacket and draping it over a chair. "Spill."

"Well, back when we first met, I didn't like you at all. You had these weird mood swings and I couldn't keep up with you. You talked about strange things and spoke kinda weirdly, like with your stupid 'bean sauce' thing. But… you were comfortable with who you were. You didn't care what other people thought of you, and you'd accept anything as a complement, even insults. You were so carefree that you made it seem like nothing could hurt you. You took everything in stride. To be honest, I saw you as this invincible being that was in control of everything and I kinda admired that. But…" here he took a breath, "…the more I got to know you, I realized how vulnerable you really were. Only on the outside were you invincible. You never really expressed yourself, but I guess I got through that outer shield you put up to avoid getting hurt. The more I broke you apart, the more I realized that you're the same as any other human. You have emotions; you get angry easily, you talk to us and laugh and smile, and though it took a while, I saw you cry and even try to take your life. And when I saw that… I dunno, it felt like my heart was being torn apart. I hated seeing you so weak, you looked so fragile when you cried, and I thought that anything could've broken you into a thousand pieces. I guess the more I saw your humanity, the more I started to like you. You have more flaws than anyone I can remember, and I really liked knowing that you _could_ be hurt, even if you didn't show it. The more time I spent with you, got to know the real you, the more I fell in love with you. I wanted to be there for you when you were depressed; I wanted to share your happiness, calm your anger, comfort you when you cried. I didn't really care what so long as I was with you. I began to see you as something beautiful, something I was _so lucky_ to have in my life. I dunno, I just… I love you and I want to stay by your side." He had gotten up and started pacing the room halfway through and he now stood next to her.

"Then stay with me," she whispered, grabbing his hands with hers. "Do you want to know why I like you so much it hurts sometimes?" he nodded slightly. "You make me laugh. Really, truly, laugh with a real smile. Most people only get a forced grin at the most, but every time you make me smile it's so real. I feel like I can show my true colors around you and you won't judge me."

"We're one screwed up couple, huh?" he chuckled dryly. "Always hurting each other…"

"Well… that's what makes it interesting. We can fight but still turn around and make things right again," she grinned.

"Right," he laughed. "So let's kiss and make up." He grabbed her playfully, making her squeak, and kissed her. She adjusted herself so she was facing him, her body intoxicatingly close to his.

"Nnn, I'd rather kiss and make love," she mumbled.

"That can be arranged," he replied.

He kissed her again, passionately this time instead of a playful one like a few moments ago. He felt her body go limp in his arms. It thrilled him that he could cause such a reaction in one person. Soon enough she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms firmly around his neck. He picked her up and kinda pushed her against the wall. She hiked her legs up around his hips and pressed her body closer to his. Undressing was easy, as he wore only his boxers due to the heat and she wore the simple sundress she had worn all day, and then they were both naked and merging. Christin had a very hard time controlling her voice, as she was really tempted to start screaming. Edward just laughed at that and continued to 'torment' her by touching her in places he knew would make her react, which was mainly her neck and abdomen, both of which were extremely sensitive. He thought it was better than the last time, and she was obviously feeling the same thing, since she kept biting her lip half the time. In due course they were lying in bed, exhausted but happy.

"So what'd you do when you went out?" he asked.

"Umm… I danced. Nothing unusual," she replied, tracing his jaw line with her finger. "Though it would've been more fun if you were there."

"Why me?" he asked, kissing the palm of her hand.

"It's not as much fun to dance without a partner," she whined. "You have to come next time!"

"I'm not going to dance to that stupid 'Goofy Goober' whatever song," he said firmly.

"But it's the 'Goofy Goober Theme Song'! You have to! I choreographed an entire line dance specifically for that song!" she beat her fist against his chest.

"Anything but that song," he groaned. "It's so annoying and it gets stuck in my head!"

"That's kinda the point," Christin yawned. She wrapped an arm around his middle and rested her head on his chest. "Now lemme sleep…"

"Night," he kissed her forehead and soon found himself asleep. Things were looking up… for now at least.

* * *

_A/N: alright! Chapter 30! My original goal was 25 chapters per part (75 chapters total) so by chapter 50 or so I'll wrap up part two and start part three. I already got a sub-name thingie for it (like how part two is Far Away: God Hunt. Part 3 will be Far Away: 'sub-name goes here') I ain't gonna spoil it for ya. Edward and Christin are growing more as a couple, but a certain someone poses a potential threat. I'll put a bit more about the baddies in the next chapter. I just really wanted to put 'Ed's Reasons Why He Loves Christin' in here. the song christin wrote is an original one i wrote myself. there's no tune so if any of you guitarists wanna create a melody for it, go knock yourselves out. i'd do it myself but i can't play guitar... well, Guitar Hero, but that's not what i mean. if anyone does create a melody, lemme hear it. i think it'd be so cool to ctually hear one of my songs played on guitar or something._

_Until chapter 31…_


	31. Another One Bites the Dust

31: Another One Bites the Dust

Robin wandered the halls of the mansion for the millionth time. Now there were more of those freaky Homunculi people. Were they people or things? He wasn't quite sure. All he knew was that he wanted his princess back, and he wanted her back now.

He randomly began thinking about all the Homunculi, just to keep himself occupied. Lust had committed suicide; Sloth died of a disease; Greed had died in a car crash; Gluttony had choked (how fitting); Wrath had had a heart attack; Pride died of something dealing with Red Water; Deceit had died in a train accident; and Vengeance had been made by injecting Red Stones into his blood stream. It was only Envy's existence he didn't know about, just that he was very old and the one who had gone on to make the new ones, for apparently there had been old Homunculi. Not that he cared about them; he just wanted his princess. He watched dully as random servants worked in the garden. Life here was so boring; Envy wouldn't let him do anything. No, he wouldn't let anyone do anything.

"I'm going out again today. If you want, you can come along," that brat Vengeance approached him.

"More kidnapping?" Robin drawled.

"More like… kid-borrowing. Do you remember the girl with pink hair from the rebellion a few years back? I'm going to use her kid to get your 'princess' out in the open. I have a few things to settle with her, and I know you want to see her," he chuckled.

"Alright, I have nothing else to do since I took a month off work for this. What time are we leaving?" Robin nodded.

"Around noon. You can meet me by the ruins of that old church," Vengeance shrugged.

"You mean the one that used to belong to that Leto cult? The one with that huge thirty foot statue of that overly-buff governor in front of it?" Robin asked.

"That's the one. See you there…" Vengeance strode away. Robin sighed and hung his head. Here he was, one of the most powerful state alchemists in the history of the world, and he was playing with a Homunculus because he was bored. What happened to him? He used to be kinda cool! He shrugged and set about sneaking out of the mansion.

* * *

"Oliver?! Oliver where are you?!" Rose's frantic voice called. Christin groaned and glanced at the clock. It was a little past eleven thirty. Holy crap, it was that late? She quickly closed the curtains to block the annoying sunlight and searched for her clothes. On top of her bra and panties she donned a pair of shorts and a tank top, and then hurried outside. Edward had apparently gotten up before her, as he was no longer in the room.

"What's going on?" she asked, rubbing her eye groggily.

"Oliver's missing," Rose sobbed. "He was outside playing with your cat-thing, and when I went to go get him, he was gone!"

"Is Saru gone too?" Christin asked. The mother nodded.

"I went around the whole perimeter of the house; he's not here," Winry reported when she and Katie came inside. "Edward and Marcus said they were going to check out the town." Just then, the phone rang. Rose jumped for it and answered.

"Hello?" she asked frantically. Christin tapped the phone and tuned in.

"Rose?" Edward's voice asked. "Listen, we found Oliver. He's by the old Leto church, but we need you to come down here."

"Oh, is he hurt?" she sobbed.

"No, he's fine. Christin, you're listening in aren't you?" he asked.

"Yeah, how'd you know?" she replied.

"I just kinda figured you'd eavesdrop, and with your weird affinity for machines it wasn't hard to guess that you'd phone-tap. You need to come down here too. Rose knows where we are, so she'll lead the way. I've gotta go; I'll see you later," he then hung up.

"Let's go," Rose said firmly, wiping her cheeks.

"Where's the Leto church?" Christin asked.

"It's across town, not very far if we run… you're talking to me," she noted.

"It's something important. It'd be kinda hard not to talk," Christin snapped. "This doesn't mean I like you."

"Come on, everyone, we're going!" Rose called. Winry, Katie, Catherine, and Armstrong followed. In about ten minutes, they were across town and pushing their way through a large crowd. A child's crying could be heard.

"That's Robin!" Christin snarled. Atop a thirty foot statue of Armstrong stood Robin McLean. Oliver was in his arm and crying hard.

"Master!!" Saru's voice called. The shikigami floated helplessly near Oliver, tied up by a string. Christin took a step forward to attack, but a hand caught her arm.

"Don't do anything yet! If you attack now, you might hit Oliver," Edward ordered.

"You want your brat back, Rose?" a very familiar voice called. Everyone turned to see who it belonged to.

"Alphonse!" Winry cried.

"We'll give him back if you give us what we want," he bargained, grinning slyly.

"I'm going to try to climb up there. Wait here and back me up if I need help," Edward said before darting into the crowd.

"Look, we just want the kid! Give him back!" Marcus called.

"I'll let him go… if you agree to my terms. That's an equivalent exchange, right?" Alphonse snickered.

"Alphonse what happened to you?" Christin asked.

"I'm not Alphonse," he replied. "My name's Vengeance."

"Give me back my son! I'll do anything!" Rose cried, fresh tears streaming down her face.

"Give me Aislinn," Robin barked. "Then you'll get your precious child back."

"Mommy!!" Oliver whined.

"Who's Aislinn?" Rose asked. Christin ground her teeth together.

"I'm not Aislinn! How many times do I have to tell you that?!" she shouted. "If you're doing all this just to get me, why not take me?" she saw Edward scaling the statue quickly, like he was a monkey. If she could just keep that loser occupied for a few more minutes…

"There's nothing like the thrill of the hunt," he cooed.

"If we just caught you without a fight, it wouldn't be half as much fun," Alphonse added.

"So you're going to use my child?!" Rose screamed.

"You forget that he's my child too," Robin grinned.

"Yeah, well, he's staying with his mother!" Edward cried, attacking him. Caught off guard, he easily tossed Oliver to Alphonse. Whether it was on purpose or an accident, Alphonse missed and Oliver went plummeting to the ground.

"Noo!!" Rose screamed.

"Oh crap!" Edward cursed. He forgot about Oliver. Marcus darted through the crowd and slid across the ground, catching Oliver just in time.

"What are you doing?! Get off me!" Christin screeched. A large man, more fat than buff, had grabbed her arms and held them behind her back. He grinned hungrily and leaned his face closer to her body, mouth open like he was going to bite her. A battle cry resounded and the man was suddenly blown back. Armstrong was crouched on the ground, one hand extended in a fist. He wore a strange gauntlet and she could just barely make out a weird circle on it. The crowds dispersed save for the 'band', Rose, Catherine, and Armstrong.

"Marcus, get them out of here. I have a score to settle with Robin McLean," Christin growled.

"Go get him, mom!" he cried, punching the air before ushering Katie, Winry, Rose, Catherine and Oliver away. A low guttural growling caught her attention.

"What is that?!" she cried, pointing to the strange creature. It was very large, with a tiger's head, bear's body, horse's tail, and lizard's feet.

"A chimera!" Armstrong gasped.

"What's a chimera?" she asked, dodging a claw swipe.

"I'll explain later; go help Edward!" Armstrong ordered. Christin nodded and ran for the statue. With both Robin and Alphonse attacking, Edward was outnumbered and looked like he was having a hard time fighting. Using her newfound strength, thanks to eight months of training her body in the jungle, she easily stepped off the side of a building, leaped to the one across the street, pounced off that one and landed right behind Robin, to whom she delivered a roundhouse kick.

"Get your hands off my boyfriend," she snarled.

"This fight's starting to bore me. Robin, let's go. I think we're done here," Alphonse jumped off the statue and Robin followed. After jumping off a few rooftops they vanished.

"Well, I'd say we know who's behind the disappearances. Let's go," she patted Edward's shoulder.

"Did you see it?" he asked like he was in a daze.

"See what?" Christin asked as they climbed down the statue.

"He had the Ouroboros tattoo on his neck. I think he's become one of them," Edward slipped and fell to the ground. "He's gone…"

"Don't be stupid, Ed. He's fine. I told you I'm going to get him back, so have a little faith," she sighed, holding out a hand. He took it and got up off the ground. "Where's all your optimism?"

"This coming from a pessimist?" he chuckled, slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Who are you and what have you done with Christin?"

"Shut up," she groaned. "Okay, so we definitely know who took Al, but we still don't know why."

"What I want to know is why he's one of them," Edward hissed.

"Ed… I want you to teach me alchemy," Christin said.

"Why, all of the sudden?" he asked.

"Well, alchemy is just another way of controlling the Lifestream, and I wanna know how to use alchemy is all. Besides, I don't think I've ever seen you transmute something. I'm just curious, really!" she gushed.

"I'm not in the mood…" he grumbled.

"Okay, then, teach me how to fight!" she changed the subject so fast it took him a moment to realize what happened.

"Why do you need to know how to fight? I saw you earlier; you just jumped from building to building!" he exclaimed.

"In case you hadn't noticed, Robin barely noticed when I kicked him. The only reason he did was because he would've fallen off if he didn't!" she cried. "I can't throw a punch to save my life!"

"Correct me if I'm wrong, but you nearly killed both me and Noa at the same time! I think you can manage," he replied.

"But these Homunculi aren't normal humans, right? You told me that Envy can change shape, and now there are those freaky mutant monster things! What if I lose my power, Ed? Then what?" she asked.

"What makes you think you're going to lose your power?" he asked.

"I dunno, I just have this really bad feeling that it might go away, so I wanna be ready if it goes away in the middle of everything," she admitted.

"Alright, I'll teach you how to fight," he sighed. "Just stop pestering me about it. And stop thinking the worst is going to happen. You are not going to lose your powers and we're going to get Al back."

* * *

"Do we have to be on the roof?" Christin asked an hour later.

"Absolutely. This is a technique of precision fighting that has been in the Armstrong line for generations. You need to learn how to fight in limited terrain," Armstrong bellowed.

"Edward!" she whined.

"Go get 'em, baby!" he called. He was perched a safe distance away to watch this unfold.

"We'll begin… now!" Armstrong announced, charging for Christin. She panicked and stepped backwards. His fist passed just before her face.

"I-is this really necessary? I can't fight him; he's twice my size!" Christin freaked. She kept stepping backwards, dodging all Armstrong's attacks but inching closer to the edge of the roof.

"Christin, watch out!" Edward called. He watched as she lost her footing and fell off the roof.

"What?" she asked, alarmed. She popped her head over the edge of the roof.

"Wha… how are you there? There shouldn't be anything supporting you," Armstrong asked. Edward rushed over.

"You're floating?" he asked. Christin looked down and flipped out.

"Aah! Oh my god, what am I doing?!" she squealed.

"How should I know?!" Edward replied. Her eyes went wide as she suddenly dropped from the sky. A nasty _crack_ reached his ears, followed by a painful scream. Both men rushed down to the ground as fast as they could. Christin was sitting on the ground, clutching her left calf. Blood oozed over her hands and pooled on the ground.

"Christin, are you all right?" Winry dashed from the house.

"We saw you fall!" Katie added. She bent down to move Christin's hands when she screamed again.

"Don't touch me!" she cried. "It hurts!"

"What happened?" Edward asked. "Let us see."

"No…" she mumbled, biting her lip to keep from crying.

"Dang it, Christin, what if you've broken something? Are you just going to sit there and bleed to death?!" he barked, grabbing her hands and moving them out of the way. She howled in pain and tried to scoot away.

"Oh my… what did you do?" Rose asked as she rushed over. Truthfully, the spectacle before her was making her a bit nauseous. Christin had broken her leg, and the bone was sticking out of her skin. She could actually see the white.

"I fell off the roof…" she mumbled. Edward moved her leg gently, but pain still flared and she screamed again.

"Okay, we're taking you to the hospital," Edward sighed.

"No! No, don't do that! I'll be fine; just… just stick it back inside and fix it with alchemy or something!" she whined.

"Shut up," he grumbled, crouching down to pick her up. She winced in pain and bit her lip again.

"Can you carry her the entire way?" Armstrong asked.

"I don't know. How far is the hospital?" Edward asked.

"Perhaps a seven minute walk from here," Catherine said. Edward nodded.

"I can make it," he said. At least Christin had stopped squirming. Oh, no she hadn't, he realized as he looked at her; she had passed out from the pain.

* * *

"But Vengeance gets to go out! Why can't I?" Gluttony whined.

"Vengeance has important things to do. We can't afford to blow our cover just yet, and you nearly did," Envy hissed.

"Is there a particular reason you picked Liore to target?" Hakuro asked from the shadows.

"Lots of things happened here; it seemed like a good place to start wreaking havoc, since the capital is still rather busy repairing itself. Why, is there a problem?" Envy asked.

"No, no problem. I just don't like working with creatures who tried to create a Philosopher's Stone to try to rule the world is all…" Hakuro mumbled as he sauntered off.

"I heard that…" Envy hissed.

"What?" Hakuro gasped.

"If you don't like working with us, then don't," he grinned darkly. "Deceit, come take out the trash!"

"Yes darling," she smiled, turning to Hakuro.

"What are you going to do?" he whimpered.

"Your alliance with us has been terminated. When you shake hands with the devil, say hi for me," she smirked.

Hakuro coughed and spat up blood. He sank to the ground dead and Deceit pulled out her black magic sword, making it dissipate into the air now that she no longer needed it.

"Pity… he would've been good as head of the country. I guess we'll have to settle for that state alchemist Robin, even though he joined only to work that transmutation on that girl…" Envy sighed dramatically, stepping over Hakuro's body. Deceit joined him and wound her arm through his.

"After the transmutation, we won't need them anymore, right?" she asked.

"We can get rid of them, yes. Once we have that bratty girl's powers, there won't be anything we can't do!" Envy cackled.

"Good. I'm getting tired of being that man's love puppet. It's so hard entertaining two men…" she sighed.

"Speaking of which, how's Vengeance doing?" he asked.

"He has his moments where the echoes of his former self show through, but that happened to the old ones right? Why bother? He's perfectly happy catering to me," she giggled. "Besides, when this whole thing blows over, we can get back together," she stood on her toes to kiss Envy.

He hesitated at first, and then returned the gesture. Something about her had been… off recently. Sometimes she did things that made no sense, like that ridiculous hair color. Why had she suddenly streaked her hair red? Or that time she had been completely enveloped in her strange powers. What was up with that? She had talked with some strange woman, but what really bugged him was that he felt something strikingly similar to going through the Gate. Something was going on here… something out of his control… and that _really_ pissed him off.

* * *

_A/N: alright, there we go. Chapter 31. I'm trying to put in more about the Homunculi without giving away too much of their… plot thingie. I can't tell y'all about that in detail yet cuz it'll ruin the story. But I am planning a few more interactions between the Homunculi and our heroes, so just bear with me._

_Okay, something that you all might be confused about: Alphonse. You may have noticed that when I'm writing from the 'good guy's' perspective, I call him Alphonse, but when I write in another perspective, mainly someone working with the Homunculi (like Robin in the beginning of the chapter) I call him Vengeance. That's due to association. Edward, Christin, Winry and everyone who's 'good' refer to him as Alphonse because they still see him as Alphonse, not the Homunculus Vengeance. And Envy, Deceit, Robin, and anyone who's 'bad' call him Vengeance because they see him as Vengeance. And when I write about him, I use Alphonse because he's still really in touch with his humanity._

_Does that make sense? Yes? No? Maybe? A little?_

_Honestly, it kinda confuses me too, so don't feel bad if you don't get it. Basically it's like this: good people's perspective = Alphonse; bad people's perspective = Vengeance_

_Whatever… see you next time…_


	32. Humanity

32: Humanity

Deceit woke up slowly, like her brain refused to connect properly. She had had the strangest dream last night… she was her doppelganger and she had switched bodies with her doppelganger's boyfriend. It made no sense at all, so she shrugged it off and sat up.

"You're awake," Alphonse's voice acknowledged. She turned and nodded.

"Are you okay? You seem… different," she asked.

"Really? I actually thought you were acting different. You've been acting so strange lately. First your hair, then there was that odd thing with your power. Is there something going on?" he pressed gently.

"It's not me…" she whispered. "Sometimes I do things and I'm not aware of them. It's like someone else is controlling my body. It scares me, Alphonse."

"Why do you keep calling me that?" he asked, sitting up. "Everyone else calls me Vengeance."

"Because I still see you as Alphonse. I still see you as the gentle boy I kinda had to brainwash in order to get you on our side. And its Alphonse I fell in love with, not Vengeance," she replied.

"What are you talking about? I've never seen you like this," Alphonse said.

"I don't know anymore!" Deceit cried, smushing her hands into her eyes. "When I was first born as a Homunculus, I just wanted to help Envy, but now… now I want to be human again…"

Alphonse scooted closer and hugged her.

"I think… I think you changed me, Alphonse. Before I didn't feel emotions, but now I'm an emotional wreck. I get angry and sad and lonely. I miss you when I'm not around you and I can't get enough of you when I am," she admitted. "I love you…"

"Maybe its Christin… perhaps she's doing some of the things you're doing which is why you're doing them. You are doppelgangers after all, maybe when one of you does something major, the other will do the same?" he suggested, kissing her forehead.

"But why? Why me? I wasn't supposed to become a Homunculus, and neither were you. Envy is destroying everything…" she mumbled, pressing her face into his chest. "I wasn't supposed to die in that train crash. I know that now. That woman who talked to Christin… she was also talking to me. Alphonse, why is this happening?"

"I don't know, but if anyone can fix it, it's gotta be my brother and Christin. I know that neither of them would just leave me here to rot, though part of me really hates them, and I'm sure we'll get our humanity back. Just be patient…" his voice was calm and soothing. She noticed that it seemed a bit deeper too, like he was maturing. His skin was warm and soft while still being a bit manly. She sighed deeply, catching the scent of his skin. It was a warm, caring scent, something that was only Alphonse.

"But _when_, Alphonse, _when_?" she pressed.

"I honestly don't know. But they're in the city now, so maybe we can go talk to them and let them know that we're not really evil; that Envy is controlling us," he sighed. "he really has changed… he seems worse than before."

"He's completely mad!" Deceit cried. "So… do you think we'll really get our humanity back if we talk to them?"

"Well, they're going to try to get me back, I know that much. Maybe I can convince them that you're good so they'll help you too," he suggested.

"I think Christin might help me without your 'negotiation'. In case you hadn't noticed, we're almost exactly alike, at least personality wise. I let my guard down around the one I love, and snub those I don't like. I can manipulate people and get them to do what I want. She can do all those things too," Deceit mumbled. "We're kindred spirits. I know that if I talk to her, she'll help me."

"I hope so. I can't stand to be here another minute! And another thing… we can't bring Christin here. If the others found out she came here, they'd put that stupid plan into action. Then we'd really be done for," he grumbled. Only Envy would think of using alchemy to manipulate the abilities of another, hence why he had been turned into a Homunculus.

"You still love her, don't you?" Deceit asked.

"I guess so, but I love you more, Deceit. Don't ever think otherwise," he muttered.

"Stop calling me that. My name's Aislinn, and if I'm going to regain my humanity we'd better get used to calling me that," she sat up straight and stretched.

"Is that why you keep calling me Alphonse?" he chuckled. "Aside from what you said earlier?" she smiled and nodded. Her smile wilted and she suddenly felt very odd. How could she describe it? It was like her soul was being torn from her body. As quickly as the feeling came, it faded.

"I feel weird…" she announced, running a hand through her silver and red hair.

"Me too. Do you think something happened to Brother and Christin?" he asked. He watched as Deceit… no, Aislinn… shrugged and gazed around the room. Hopefully it wasn't anything too awful.

* * *

Edward sighed and yawned. The sun was slicing through the window in the most annoying way. Christin had been released from the hospital yesterday and he was more than happy to have her home, though she kinda limped when she walked as her leg wasn't fully healed yet. He pushed his hair out of his face and blinked groggily. His hair slithered back in front of his eyes again and once more he pushed it out of his face.

"Gah, what is wrong with my stupid hair?!" he cried, clamping a hand over his mouth. That wasn't his voice. He touched his face; it was very slender and smooth, very… feminine.

"What's wrong?" his voice asked. Slowly, he turned and watched his body sit up. It took a few moments for it to sink in, but it did. "Agh! What did you do?! Why are you me?"

"I don't know; why are you me?" he replied. "You did something with your powers didn't you?" he demanded.

"Well I don't know! It's not like I'm an expert on controlling every single aspect of my powers!" Christin whined. It was very weird to hear his own voice hit such a weird pitch. "Now that I think about it… this exact thing happened in a **Scooby Doo movie**! Ah, we need to find a Daemon Rightus and stop Scrappy before he takes over the world!!"

"Okay, just… calm down and listen to me. Whatever you did, just undo it. It's that simple," Edward said.

"Yeah, undo it. Right. That would work, except for… I'm not in my body anymore! I don't know if my powers will work in your body!" she cried. "Okay, I just need to calm down… breathe… breathe… oh god I forgot how to breathe!" Edward smacked her. "Sorry, this is kinda new to me. I've never… switched bodies before…"

"Are you two okay?" Katie's muted voice called through the door.

"Y-yeah, we're fine!!" Christin replied. "Ah! I'm me again!"

"Me too!" Edward cried. "Normally I'd ask what just happened but I'm gonna go ahead and guess you don't know," he mumbled.

"W-well… back when I was in Creta, I had to practice uh… throwing my soul from one vessel to the next. Y'know, in case something happened to me and I needed to stay alive! The farthest I ever got was just barely out of my body… until now, I guess…" she babbled. "But… when I was in your body, I didn't feel the Lifestream, though I could sense it with my soul. Did you feel anything?"

"Yeah, like there was all this extra energy swirling around me. Was that the…" he paused.

"Lifestream, yes. Maybe… hm… lessee… I really wanted to get back in my body, and I'm guessing you did too. Maybe our souls connected and the swap was made, returning us to normal?" she suggested.

"I'm just gonna drop it…" Edward sighed. He wandered off, leaving Christin to ponder what happened by herself. She opened the window and stuck her face outside. The desert really wasn't too bad in the morning before the sun really started rising. Still, she was plagued with memories of years of horrible summers stuck out in the desert with no friends, a father who hated her, and almost no sanity. Anyways… those years were behind her now and all she had to look forward to was a bright and happy future with Edward… right? Assuming they could figure out this whole thing with the Homunculi. A small black bird flew through the window and landed on the bed. In a poof of black smoke, it changed into a scrap of paper. She unfolded it and read it.

"Come to the old Leto church, where we met a few days ago. I want to talk to you. Alphonse. P.S. don't tell Brother." Christin read aloud. "Alright, if you say so…" she sighed. She quickly got dressed, snapped on the leg brace the hospital had given her (though she hated the thing) and ducked out the window. By a stroke of sheer luck she was able to find her way back to the ruined building. There was no one in the vicinity so she guessed that Alphonse was probably inside. She crept inside and instantly began hyperventilating. Churches always made her feel really weird. Perhaps she was a demon child after all. She walked down the aisle and stopped.

"You came after all. I didn't think you would," Deceit's voice cooed. Christin whipped out her pocket knife, ready for an attack.

"We're not here to fight," Alphonse stepped into the dim light. "We don't have much time, so we better hurry up."

"What do you want, Homunculi?" Christin demanded.

"Our humanity," Deceit replied.

"What?" Christin asked.

"Neither of us was supposed to become Homunculi. Aislinn wasn't supposed to die in that train accident, and I wasn't supposed to be captured. Envy has lost his mind and is throwing the flow of the world off course," Alphonse explained.

"We figured… if we prove to you and Edward that we're not really bad, but just pawns on Envy's chessboard, you'd help restore our humanity…" Deceit mumbled, averting her eyes.

"You're the real Aislinn, the one Robin wants so badly," Christin realized. "He transmuted you, didn't he?"

"You know about human transmutation?" Alphonse asked.

"I started studying alchemy, which is a relative to my powers in a way. I guess… in alchemy terms… since I don't need a circle or something… that I'm kinda like a Philosopher's Stone. Mahk'rah's need to use special drawings to help use their power. I'm a Kali'rah, and I don't need a drawing. No wait, I'm getting confused… I think it was… the Truth I'm trying to talk about. Going through the Gate and learning all that alchemy mumbo-jumbo," she chattered.

"I think you mean what happened to Brother, and why he only needs to clap to transmute," Alphonse corrected.

"Sure, we'll go with that," Christin grinned.

"You did break your leg!" Deceit cried. "That's why mine broke too! You were right about us being connected Alphonse!"

"Well, that would explain some things… wait, wait, wait… we're getting totally off subject here. Why do you two want your humanity back? How did you lose it?" Christin asked.

"When a Homunculus is born, they must feed on Red Stones. There's something in it, some weird alchemic catalyst that… changes us. Our former human lives become memories that plague us relentlessly and the thing in the Red Stone erases our humanity… for the most part," Deceit replied. "I think… because of Alphonse and probably because of you… I'm starting to regain my humanity. When I was born as Deceit, I felt nothing at all. No hatred or anger or even sadness. I was empty. Then Envy sent me to brainwash Alphonse into loving me, so we could use him for… Envy's plan…"

"What plan? Why did he need Al?" Christin pressed.

"I can't tell you! Because of your involvement we can't tell you anything!" she cried. "If any of the plan leaks out… he'll destroy everything."

"Wait, you brainwashed Alphonse?! How could you?!" Christin raged.

"I was following orders! I didn't want to because he was so kind, but I had to. After he joined our side, I un-brainwashed him but he still loved me. I then realized that he truly loved me and… I started to regain my humanity…" Deceit admitted.

"I think that because of your love for Brother… Aislinn was able to feel the same things you were. Now I'm almost glad that we broke up," Alphonse grinned. "Aislinn isn't _bad_; she's just being controlled by Envy. She was lost and confused and scared but… then she met me. It was like you and Brother."

"Deceit is that true? You want your humanity back because you love Al?" Christin asked.

"Call me Aislinn," Deceit smiled sheepishly.

"But… what if I do turn you human again? Wouldn't one of us die or something?" Christin asked.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take," Deceit… no, Aislinn… said firmly.

"What do we do about Robin?" Christin asked.

"Right now he's working for us. Because of his ability to warp time and space through alchemy, he's involved with that plan we can't tell you about. We're planning on killing him," Alphonse stated.

"Ugh… this is starting to sound a bit like those cheesy fanfictions I used to read on …" Christin grumbled. "Wait… what about you two? What will you do?"

"We'll try to keep things running smoothly until you can fix us. Envy doesn't know we're here, so let's try to keep this thing secret, okay? Granted… you might have to put the plan into action anyway…" he sighed.

"Just stay on your toes. We'll contact you as soon as we can," Aislinn warned.

"I don't think so. Why can't you tell me what's going on?" Christin urged.

"Because you won't like it. I'm trying to spare you, so don't you go feeling all stupid when the plan gets activated. I don't want to say 'I told you so' but I will if you screw things up," Aislinn hissed.

"Should I tell Ed about this?" she asked.

"Don't mention me, but do tell him about Alphonse. I think he'd want to know his brother is still there," Aislinn mumbled.

"Okay, you two do your best to hang on to whatever humanity you have. I'll try to get Ed to agree to help me," Christin turned to leave.

"Christin, wait. The next time you see me, I might not be myself. Part of me wants to help you and Brother destroy Envy, but another part of me wants to kill you right here and now. Just be on your guard; we'll be in touch," Alphonse and Aislinn turned to leave.

"I'll be waiting," she murmured. She heard Alphonse and Aislinn leave and began walking back home. She knew that she should be suspicious of Aislinn… Deceit… whatever her name was, but she just couldn't. She was too much like herself. Aislinn was right; she should keep the part about her wanting to be human a secret until Edward could handle it. Still, she knew that the blond would want to know that his brother was still alive… as Alphonse, not the Homunculus Vengeance. And… what plan were they talking about? They said that she was involved, but wouldn't tell her anything. Urgh, this was _really_ starting to sound like a lame fanfiction story, even though this world wasn't a story. This was her reality, not a fantasy. These problems were real and she had to solve them.

* * *

"Where have you been?" Edward asked when she returned home.

"I went out for a walk, is that a problem?" she sassed. "Besides, I needed some things…"

"Hey, what with this sea of stuff?" Rose called. "Ugh, this is heavy…"

"Noo! Don't touch that, it's brand new!!" Christin wailed. "Besides, you're not authorized to touch my stuff." Christin shooed Rose away and she went to stand by Edward.

"She hates me, doesn't she?" she whispered.

"Nah, she actually likes you, kinda," he shrugged.

"How? Every time she talks to me, she tells me to leave her alone or to not touch something!" she whined.

"But she's talking to you, isn't she?" Edward asked.

"Well, yeah…" Rose admitted.

"I know it's weird, but that's kinda how she shows affection. People she doesn't like, she doesn't even acknowledge. People she likes, she talks to them the way she talks to you. If someone's her friend, she's really open and you get to see a completely different side of her," he explained.

"Then, where are you? She's practically attached at your waist," she mumbled.

"I'm special," he grinned. "In case you hadn't noticed, she doesn't touch people often, and if she does it usually to smack someone. She has this weird belief that physical affection should be shown only to someone you love, which is kinda why she just drapes herself over me sometimes." Rose watched his expression. She saw how much he loved her, and that made her a bit sad. "I don't mean for this to sound dirty, but because she touches me, I know that she really cares about me."

"Here, for you," Christin approached Edward and dumped a big box in his arms.

"What is this?" he asked. It was kinda heavy. He set it down on the floor and opened it. Inside was a shiny black guitar similar to the one Christin had.

"I'm making you a guitarist," she replied as she bounced away to meddle with more boxes. "I told you that we're a band, right? We might as well look the part."

"But I can't play a guitar," he said.

"I know," she grinned. She trotted over to him and pressed two fingers to his temples. "Hold still, this might take a while," she ordered. Electricity shot through his body as a big blob of music entered his brain. Weirdly enough, he was able to distinguish each individual song and the guitar parts as well.

"What are you doing to him?" Rose cried.

"I downloaded every song I know into his memory banks, along with my knowledge of Rock Band. He'll be a guitar genius in no time," Christin shrugged.

"What's Rock Band?" she asked.

"It's this really cool video game where you get to play an instrument in a rock band, hence the name, and its soooo much fun!" Christin squealed. "Now our band's got its fourth member!"

"Who are the other three?" Edward asked. His head hurt a bit, but overall he felt fine.

"Well, I put Winry on drums, since she gets such pleasure from throwing wrenches at people, and I put Katie on bass guitar," she giggled.

"That's only two. Who's the third person?" Rose asked.

"I'm doing lead vocals!" Christin cried, throwing a hand in the air.

"They actually agreed to this?" Edward inquired.

"No more than you did," Christin grinned. "Besides, didn't I tell you that I wanted to lead them straight to me? What better way that to start a new music revolution? Those ass-wipes are already starting to broadcast music on the radio, and I'm sure someone on the evil side is slipping in my music mixed with some brainwashing-ness-stuff."

"What are you going to do?" Rose asked.

"I'm going to have a little concert," Christin giggled. It had been years since she had performed before an actual audience. Sure, she knew she was going to get stage fright, like, two minutes before the whole thing started but it was worth that rush she got from belting lyrics into a microphone.

"You're going to need a manager if you want to be promoted properly," Marcus said as he entered the room, Oliver riding him piggy-back style.

"Too bad Kelsie isn't here. She was good with those traveling performers we ran into…" Christin mused. "You wanna do it?"

"Sure. Okay, we need posters, band merchandise, a logo, and a name. Everyone will try to come up with something on their own, and then we'll pool our ideas and vote on the best one. Marcus, when you and Rose go out to promote us after all this is settled, be sure to mention me," Christin instructed.

"Why you?" Edward asked.

"Because they know me. I'm well known throughout the country (apparently) as a singer and I got mauled a few times while out in town. That's how I met the guy who helped make all the instruments and stuff. I drew down some ketches of what they should look like and how they operate and he made them for me. Besides, I'm sure once they know that the 'Hero of the People' the Fullmetal Alchemist is helping me, we're bound to skyrocket. You better prepare yourself for lots of screaming fangirls," she chuckled.

"Why do I get the feeling that this is a really bad idea?" Edward groaned.

* * *

_A/N: more of the Homunculi! Whee! Okay, so I gave away a bit more of their side of the story, but I won't reveal the entire thing until… maybe the late forties or so? I dunno, cuz I have this really great way to end part two, but I wanna make this story last for over fifty chapters._

_R&R and tell me what you think. Also, if there's something that doesn't really add up, please tell me so I can fix it._

_Until chapter 33…_


	33. Getting Noticed

33: Getting Noticed

Kelsie shuffled into the post office of Xenotime slowly. Life had gotten so boring after she left Christin and them. Yes, she was back with Russell and Fletcher, but she missed the others.

"Thanks Gale," she waved to the postman as she exited the building. She flipped through the mail dully: bills, bills, catalogue, a letter from Russell's cousin up in Briggs, and… a letter addressed to her from Christin. She bolted back home and slammed the door shut.

"What's wrong?" Fletcher asked. "Are you okay, Kelsie?"

"I'm terrific Fletcher!" she cried, tossing the other mail on the table and all but ripping open her letter. A small object slid out from between the folded paper and clinked on the floor. Fletcher picked it up and examined it.

"Anything interesting?" Russell asked as he came in from the back door.

"I'll say. Alphonse was abducted by the Homunculi, but is trying to stay human, whatever that means. The group's now in Liore because they were investigating some strange disappearances, but found out it was Alphonse trying to get Christin's attention to tell her that he wanted to help defeat the villain, whose name she conveniently left out. Now they're starting a band so they'll get noticed and Christin will be able to get to the bottom of this weird plot," Kelsie gushed in one breath.

"They certainly know how to keep busy…" the blond man sighed. "I see she drew some pictures for reference…" he scanned the letter, his blue eyes lingering on the random doodles of everyone.

"The band's giving a concert to promote themselves next weekend, and they want us to come!" she cried. "Hey, listen to this… 'Ed and I are boyfriend and girlfriend now, can you believe it? I'm practicing my powers and they don't go out of control anymore… as much as they used to, anyway. Still… there's something really important that I should probably tell him, but I don't want to upset him. I need your advice, so get your butt down here as soon as possible!' sounds like she hasn't changed much," Kelsie chuckled.

"This is pretty. Does she mention what it is?" Fletcher asked as he held up the small pendant enclosed with the letter. It was a weird type of cross: a ball (circle, orb, whatever) was in the middle with wings extending from the sides and pointy… things coming out of the top and bottom.

"She says it's the logo for their band. Edward suggested that they use a tattoo design, so they voted for that one. And apparently he also came up with the name for the band," she announced as she read the post script.

"It's probably something like 'Edward Elric and these People'," Russell commented.

"Oh, be nice. No it's…" Kelsie chuckled at how fitting the name was, "God Hunt."

* * *

"Sir, you have a letter," Riza announced as she walked into his office.

"If it's another bill I don't want it," he grumbled. He was in a very bad mood because he had gotten swamped with paperwork and had no one to help him. Havoc was on a date (believe it or not), Fuery was sick and Falman was taking care of him, and Breda was visiting his grandmother in New Heissgart. He only had Riza and Sheska to help him, and they were busy with their jobs.

"It's from your daughter," she added.

"Really? Let me see!" he pounced on her and tore the letter from her hands. In his enthusiasm, he kissed Riza. "This is great!"

"Right. Well, I best be off. I still have work to do," she turned to leave.

"Aren't you gonna read it with me? After all, you kinda helped raise her until I adopted her. You're practically her mother," he stated.

"If you insist, sir," she nodded and walked over to stand behind him.

"She's doing well, at least. She broke her leg a few days ago, but she's better now. Edward's been running her ragged trying to teach her how to fight. 'He says we can stop after I knock him to the ground. Its hard cuz he won't let me use my powers and I'm still recovering from breaking my leg, but I won't lose to him! I'll knock him to the ground all right, and bore a hole right through the planet so he winds up in some foreign country on the other half of the world!!' she's as weird as ever, isn't she?" he chuckled. "Oh, she did break his automail a few times, though, so she's not as pathetically weak as she used to be."

"'We started a band. I'm so stoked! It's all part of this plan to get those stupid Homunculi to notice me. We found out that they did abduct Alphonse and now we know that he's been turned into one, but he's still human and Ed and I are gonna try to fix him. He told me (Alphonse, that is) that they're going to use me in some weird plot for… I dunno world domination or something? Anyway, they want me or something and I don't know what, so our best shot to find out is for me to get captured again.' That sounds like a bad idea…" she mumbled. A smile wound up on her face anyways. Something about that girl made her smile every time she thought about her.

"It's all happening in Liore, of all places. Funny," Roy grinned. "She's inviting all of us 'good guys at HQ' to come to the concert next weekend. What do you say; wanna go?"

"I don't see why not," Riza nodded. "I'll inform the others." Once she was outside his office, she let her façade dissolve. She blushed a brilliant red and pressed a hand to her lips.

"Are you okay, Lieutenant Hawkeye?" Sheska asked as she walked down the hall.

"Y-yes, I'm fine," Riza said quickly.

* * *

"Now, what you do is you follow the colored lights on the screen and play them on your guitar," Christin instructed. "It's really not that hard, Ed."

"Well if it's so easy, you do it!" he snapped. He had been playing 'Rock Band' for the past three hours, well… he had been watching Christin teach Winry and Katie how to play, and he didn't really seem to get it. Each time a colored thing popped up on the screen, you were supposed to hit the corresponding note on your instrument. Christin had demonstrated a dozen times, but he didn't quite get it yet.

"Jeesh, some prodigy. Can't even play a simple game," she sassed, strapping on her guitar and restarting the game. "This is why I'm also doing guitar. Cuz you suck so badly. Once you get better, it'll be all yours."

"Just go already!" he barked. He watched as she selected a song. "'Beat It'? I don't think I've ever heard that one before."

"Shut up and pay attention! Now, when the colored thingies get to the bottom of the screen like that," she pointed at the screen and missed a note, "… you hit the same key on your guitar, like this," she strummed her guitar. "You just follow the notes and you'll be playing in no time."

He watched as she played the guitar riffs for the entire song. She stared at the screen with an almost funny determination and played the notes correctly. He had to admit that she looked really cool. Well, he always thought she looked cool (hot actually, but now was not the time to be thinking dirty) but when she played she looked _really_ cool, like she was born playing guitar. He sighed and stood up when she finished.

"Explain to me again how you got the game to work," he said, grabbing his own guitar.

"I just set up a piece of glass to be a screen and projected my memories of the game into that little box there that's attached to Saru, who's supplying the music, and poof! Instant Rock Band!" she clapped her hands. Edward groaned and scrolled through the songs, trying to find one he liked. She had 'downloaded' more songs (how, he had no idea) and the total was over seven hundred.

"I didn't know that this many songs existed in your world," he mumbled.

"That's just one genre, and that's not even all of them. There are literally millions of songs," she grinned.

"So where's freakin' Santana?" he cried. One song, that was all he wanted! "Oh wait, there it is. Never mind, I found it!" he looked to Christin for his cue, as he didn't know how to start playing the song.

"Hold your fingers at the very top, nearest the adjustment things and strum," she prompted. She was secretly pleased with his choice. Santana had lots of crazy guitar solos, which counted for awesome music. And since Edward was going to be playing guitar, well… let's just say he has good taste in music.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Katie asked. "What if they don't come after all this?"

"Then we'll have started a music revolution. Music is the voice of the soul, which is why so many people like it. There are so many things you can say with your mouth, but so many _more_ when you add the tune playing in your heart. You don't even need words half the time. You can get your point across just with instruments. Music is wonderful," Christin gushed. "Besides, if I publicly display myself, they'll have to come get me."

"I still don't understand why, though," Katie sighed.

"Al told me that there's a really foul plot afoot," she muttered, "Okay those weren't his exact words, but whatever. Envy's planning something and I'm involved somehow. They can't tell me anything so the only way to figure out what's going on is to get in there myself. Hopefully, I'll be able to get out in the end…"

"You will," she assured her, brushing her black hair out of her face. "Don't doubt yourself. Unless you wanna get jinxed and die."

"I could do without that, thanks," Christin chuckled dryly. "My life is interesting enough as it is; I don't need death too." She returned her attention to Edward, who was managing to play the right notes despite his complaining. Actually, he was quite good. And he had the look of a rocker, sort of. If took off his jacket, he'd look perfect. His hair was certainly long enough, as it now reached the middle of his back, and he was very well toned and muscular without being too buff. She almost didn't believe that he was twenty-two. Then again, she had a hard time believing she was twenty sometimes. Was it only a few years ago she was freaking out about turning seventeen and feeling old? She seemed to forget everything like that when she was with Edward.

"Can I go again?" he asked when he finished.

"Knock yourself out," she shrugged. "Wait, hang on a sec…" she walked up to him and studied him closely. "Take off your jacket."

"Why?" he asked, shrugging out of the garment. He now stood in his pants and tank top.

"That's better. If you're gonna be a rock star, you gotta look the part," she grinned.

"Okay… but I want that back eventually, unlike that shirt you stole and never gave back to me," he pointed out as she pulled it on.

"Got it," she smiled as she wrapped the jacket tightly around her torso. It was a little big, and it carried his scent. Exactly the way she liked her jackets, even if it was borrowed. Come to think of it, she did still have that shirt he was talking about. It was the one she sometimes used as pajamas. Speaking of pajamas, she was feeling very tired. She hadn't been exaggerating when she wrote Roy about how Edward was running her ragged trying to teach her how to fight. He woke her up at sunrise every morning (which was killing her) and worked her until lunchtime. But it was paying off; she had broken his automail a few times (and gotten a scolding from Winry) and given him a black eye the other day. She was able to run long distances, which for her was around the house once without stopping, better and she could actually do a push-up. If only her old P.E. teachers could see her now… 'Fat kid's P.E.' her butt! Who's the slowest of the slow now? … Probably still her. Oh well, her endurance and stamina was growing. At least she was getting something out of it.

Edward played for several hours before finally stopping. It was actually more fun than he thought. Anyone who had been in the room when he started playing had left… well, almost everyone. Christin had fallen asleep on the couch and was curled up beneath his jacket. He didn't blame her; he had been working her really hard lately, perhaps a result of training with his teacher. She deserved to get a good rest. Maybe he'd go easy on her tomorrow. After all, she was doing this for him. Equivalent exchange, he kinda owed her. He gently picked her up and carried her to their room. She stirred a bit, only to nuzzle her face into his chest and cling to his shirt. She had no idea how freakin' cute she looked right now. He set her down on the bed they shared and pulled out the chair at the desk.

As he sat down, he picked up a handful of papers. Why did she feel the need to study alchemy? She had all these cool powers, far surpassing Edward's alchemic talent, so why would she want to study something so mundane? She even told him that she never studied for anything while in school, not even big exams. And why did she think she was going to lose her powers? It's not like they were like alchemy and didn't work when one went beyond the Gate; he had seen them work well enough back in Germany and America. Was there something she knew that she wasn't telling him? She _did_ tell him about Alphonse though, and he was more than grateful for that. He felt better knowing that his brother hadn't been completely lost to the Homunculi. As he flipped through the alchemy notes, oddly enough some were encrypted in poetry or songs, and half finished drawings, he wonder what she would've done with her life if she hadn't come here, hadn't met him and Alphonse. Would she have fallen in love with some other guy? The mere thought irritated him. Would she have graduated high school and gone to college? There were probably art schools back in her world and her talent would make her a shoo in. after that happened, what would she have done? Traveled the world, perhaps? She really liked going to other countries when they were tracking down that bomb and was always eager to learn about each countries customs and language and food and whatnot. Then again, maybe she _would've_ fallen in love with someone, and settled down and started a family. All this 'what if' thinking was making him very, very tired, and he suddenly felt a bit empty inside. Where would their relationship go? Would she one day grow tired of him and leave, or stay with him until she died? Moreover, what would she do when this whole thing was over? Travel the world here? That was actually something he wanted to do; he had been around the country, but never really left it for a trip or anything. Maybe they could do that together. He just had to ask her. He placed his arms on the desk and rested his head on top of them, gazing out the window at the crescent moon with and almost abnormal desire to do absolutely nothing. As he drifted off to sleep, he realized that he had no idea what the future would hold, and that notion scared him.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Winry asked. Christin had spent the past thirty minutes in a corner curled up into a ball and looked like she was going to faint, vomit, or both.

"Stage fright…" she muttered. "I'll get over if after a minute on stage, promise." She glanced up and looked around the backstage area. They had set up the town hall to hold the concert, and everyone in town and some people from neighboring villages (not that she had seen anything coming to Liore. Did they live in hidden villages under the sand?) had filled the room beyond capacity. She was that popular. As a singer and someone who stood up to the military, which had nearly destroyed this city more than once.

"I think everyone's here now!" Rose called from across the room. Christin sucked in a deep and hopefully calming breath and forced herself to stand. In the center of the room was a small mob of people, her 'ragtag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom' as Sokka once put it. She would have to watch her memories of the Avatar: The Last Airbender soon. That was a good show. There were the Tringham brothers and Kelsie, Lin and Lanfan and May, Roy and Riza along with Havoc, Fuery and a few people she didn't recognize but guessed were good if they were with Roy, Winry and Pinako, Katie, Armstrong and Catherine, Rose and Oliver, Marcus, and Edward. Alphonse had snuck in and was hiding within earshot of the conversation because he also played a part in this scheme. His job was to contact the Homunculi and lead them right to Christin. Aislinn remained with the Homunculi because Edward didn't know about her yet or… her desire to regain her humanity.

"Okay everyone!" her voice shook but she kept speaking, "We're here for one reason and one reason only: to get to the bottom of this weird conspiracy involving myself and the Homunculi. Now we don't know exactly what their planning, but we know it's not good. Ed told me about the recent corruption in the military and how the Furher was a Homunculus and everything was falling apart, blah, blah, blah, moving on. Okay, so their original goal was to create a Philosopher's Stone and wipe out humanity to create a world full of Homunculi, and what we guessed was their current goal is basically along the same lines: destroy the humans and create more of them, which sounds terribly cliché but whatever," she glanced around at her friends and allies. "Ed, why don't you take over? I need to go tweak for a few more minutes."

"Okay… um… right. We've assigned each group of people a different role in this 'master plan'. Christin obviously is going to be the bait that the Homunculi are going to take. I'm going to serve as a link-thing that she'll use to let us know where she is," he started. Marcus raised his hand. "Marcus?"

"How are you going to be a 'link-thing'?" he asked.

"Um… she can kinda throw her thoughts into someone's head and talk to them that way. She can also send visual if needed. Please hold your questions until after we're finished talking," he replied. "After she relays the information, Lin, Lanfan, May, and I are going to sneak in wherever she is and bust her out. Apparently we've got some connections inside the Homunculi's base, so they'll help. Rose, Marcus, Pinako and Winry will be in charge of the cover story as to why she's 'missing'. Don't do anything too complex; keep it short and simple. Mustang, Hawkeye, Havoc, Fuery, Falman, Breda, Ross, and Bloch will help us get to Central, where she still has a mess to clean up. Katie, Kelsie and the impostors will keep an eye on the Homunculi with the help of our inside connections. Catherine and Armstrong will help with any supplies we may need, and you're also in charge of helping organize the final movement that will destroy those jerks for good. Did everyone get that?" he asked. No one answered. "Are there any questions?" several hands shot up. "Yeah, Winry?"

"Why are there so many people working on the cover story?" the blond asked.

"Good question," Christin answered. "The reason we have four people working on the cover is because each of you will cover a different area I've been to, mostly for the sake of people who have seen me. Pinako will go back to Resembool, Rose is going to stay here in Liore, Marcus will go to Xenotime and Winry will cover Central. Before things get out of hand, each one of you on the escape squad will be stationed at a different rendezvous point along the way to Central after I let Ed know where I am. We'll travel in small groups in disguise in case they try to get me back after I figure out what's going on. Each individual will have a different disguise and story behind it. I'll let you people figure those out."

"Why Central?" a large man with orange hair asked.

"Because I did something I shouldn't have and I need to go fix it. Also there's some military involvement, so I wanna check out what's going on there in case it's tied in with this… whatever this is," she replied. "Anything else?" no one responded; they were satisfied for the most part.

"Master, the crowd's getting really wild out there!" Saru, who was on watch duty, reported.

"Guess we better get started then," she shrugged. "You better get to your position Alphonse," she whispered as she ducked past him. He nodded silently and vanished into the shadows, moving behind everything so he was perched on a balcony overlooking the transformed town hall. He was satisfied with his role: he got to capture Christin and make hr pay for hurting him the way she did. Oh, he was fighting himself again. If things didn't hurry up, he might not keep hold of his humanity for much longer before the more violent Homunculi tendencies overpowered his gentler human ones. The lights dimmed and the crowd grew silent.

They had managed to piece together a set list of songs people had heard one way or another, mostly heard on the developing music stations on the radio. One song had even been featured in a recent movie. Christin sucked in another deep breath, quickly followed by four more.

"You okay?" Edward asked as he strapped on his guitar. Everyone had been practicing like crazy, and he had to admit he was pretty good. Not saying that Katie and Winry weren't but his ego refused to let him think they might be better than him. So in his mind, he was the best. Well, Christin was pretty good too, but seeing her now kinda made him doubt she could do this.

"Y-yeah, fine. Totally. I'm good," she said way too quickly. She jerked her head towards the stage, and he saw no option other than to obey. He sighed and really hoped this wouldn't go wrong. He took his place on the stage and while he plugged in his guitar to something called an amp, he over heard some snippets of the crowd's conversation.

"Oh my goodness!" a girl gasped.

"what? What is it?" another asked.

"Is that… Edward Elric?" she asked stupidly.

"No way!! Christin's got the Fullmetal Alchemist as her guitarist?!" the second girl squealed.

"He's so dreamy!" the first breathed. "Even when he was 'Hero of the People' I thought he was cool."

"Hey, he's mine!" the second snapped. As a small catfight started he was tempted to say that he was already taken, but decided not to. He played the opening riffs to Breaking Benjamin's 'Polyamorous' and Christin finally appeared on stage.

"_Let's go!_

_The day has come to an end._

_The sun is over my head._

_My polyamorous friend, you got me in a mess of trouble again._

_So just when you think that you're alright_

_I'm calling out from the inside._

_I never hurt anyone_

_I never listen at all._

_They've come to get me again._

_The cloud is over my head._

_My polyamorous friend, you got me in a mess of trouble again._

_So just when you think that you're alright_

_I'm calling out form the inside_

_I never hurt anyone_

_I never listen at all_

_Just stay away from the white light_

_i'd say your worst side's your best side_

_I never hurt anyone_

_I never listen at all._

_well, How do you know?_

_Well, how do you know?_

_Well, How do you know?_

_Well, How do you know?_

_Just when you think that you're alright_

_I'm calling out from the inside_

_I never hurt anyone_

_I never listen at all_

_Just stay ways from the white light_

_i'd say your worst side's your best side_

_I never hurt anyone_

_I never listen at all._

_Let's go!"_

Holy crap! Alphonse had never seen Christin like that! Yeah he knew she could sing, but not like that! It was like someone had turned on alight inside of her. Her voice was loud and clear and penetrated into his very core, though part of it was probably the microphone she was belting lyrics into. He didn't want to look away...no, he couldn't. She was absolutely captivating and had the audience screaming and singing along. They had literally erupted into applause when she walked out onstage and screamed that first line.

He almost regretted the fact that he had to report this and tell Envy where she was. Reluctant to miss the rest of the concert, the first of its kind in this world, he ducked out into the growing night and dashed to where the Homunculi were hiding. He ran into Aislinn.

"Is it working?" she asked softly. He nodded.

"Tell Envy that I found the girl. She's at the town hall giving a concert. I'm going back to keep an eye on things; you should come to back me up just in case," he reported.

Aislinn nodded and went to Envy's room.

"Vengeance found her; she's at the town hall making a spectacle of herself," she said.

"Really?" Envy rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, that makes things easier for us, doesn't it? I should've guessed an idiot like her would do something like this. I'll be there in a bit; I trust Vengeance went ahead to keep an eye on her?"

"Yes. I was going to go too, in case things went awry," she nodded.

"Very well," he waved her off. She ducked out of the room and bolted down the hall.

"Do you think she's actually stupid and showing off, or could this just be a ploy?" Robin asked. He folded up a newspaper whose headline was about Hakuro dying from bullet wounds received from a machine gun. They wouldn't go on sale until tomorrow, but he nabbed one before hand.

"Who cares, as long as we get her," Envy smirked. Things were running smoother than he planned. If this kept up, they might be able to jump ahead in the schedule a bit and get that brat's power faster…

* * *

_A/N: okay, I kinda noticed that there really isn't much alchemy in the story YET, but I'm working on that. There'll be lots of it in the next parts, mostly in part three. BTW, I rewrote _Catch Me As I Fall_ and renamed it _The Military's Monster_. All you former CMAIF fans, go check out the redone version. It has an actual plotline now, so look forward to another good story. Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews (especially those who review: feedback is very important to me) and please keep reading._

_See you in chapter 34…_


	34. The Thorns on the Rose

34: The Thorns on the Rose

Edward sighed. He was tired and his arms hurt, but overall he was pleased. The concert had been a success apparently, because they had been mobbed when they left town hall. Countless screaming fans had all but mauled them the second they exited through the back door. Christin had lapped it up, smiling and signing autographs and even posing for some pictures. Winry and Katie also had been mobbed, though their mobs were slightly smaller than Christin's. He hadn't been left out; oodles of fans, mostly girls, had flocked around him and complemented him ceaselessly. He glanced over to where Christin was and she just happened to look up. He saw her smile soften into a special one just for him and he couldn't help but smile back.

"That was fun!" she chirped when they got home. "We should do it again sometime!" she dumped her bouquets of flowers on the table and set about reading the small cards tucked among the blossoms.

"That's not part of the plan," Winry noted, dropping her own flower entourage on the table. They had been more popular than expected. Edward had several bags full of flowers and other crap he hadn't bothered to look at. He set those on the floor and collapsed on the couch. His arms felt like they were going to fall off.

"What's so funny?" Katie asked when Christin started giggling.

"Listen to this: 'I really admire you for standing up to those brutes in the military. Even though you might not be from our world, I still look up to you for what you've done. I admit, no offense, that your singing isn't particularly good, but it's packed with so much power and emotion that I overlook that. All that energy you send out through your strange (yet interesting) music infects me and brightens my day. I get swept along on this wave of feeling that most people in the public eye lack and I feel like I really connect with you because you actually seem to have emotions. You are truly one of a kind and I hope you never stop singing.' Isn't that sweet?" she grinned. "It reminds me of something I read in _Nana_ once."

"What's _Nana_?" Rose asked.

"It's a manga about these two women named Nana who meet one day on a train to Tokyo and they get tangled up in the world of punk rock music. I loved the manga and I even saw a couple episodes of the anime before I came here," she replied, tucking the card back inside the bouquet it came in. "The girl even knew what kind of flowers I like, though it was probably just a lucky guess."

"White lilies?" Edward asked. Well, he just learned something new.

"They're called Casablanca lilies. They're my favorite flowers," she grinned, pressing her face against the sleek white petals. "My favorite flower used to be a rose, but I began to realize how common and overused roses are. On top of that they smell kinda weird. But I love Casablancas… they're so pretty and they look so pure with their white petals."

"Does that mean something, Casablanca?" Catherine asked.

"In Spanish 'Casablanca' means 'white house'. But I knew that already, from reading a Sailor Moon bonus story about Rei called 'Casablanca Memory'. That was back when I was as pure as their white petals…" she sighed dreamily. She stood up and stretched. "I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow."

"Good night," everyone chorused. Before she entered her room, she turned around.

"Thanks in advance for helping me, and I apologize in advance for any pain this causes you. I really appreciate it," she winked and vanished behind the door.

"She's really something else…" Winry sighed, flopping down next to Edward. He smiled at her words.

"But that's what makes her interesting," he added.

"She's going to change the world," Katie grinned.

"I think she's trouble," Rose sniffed. "Don't look at me like that; you heard what she said! 'I apologize in advance for any pain this causes you.' Doesn't that imply you're going to get hurt?" she replied, glaring back at Edward's confused look.

"Rose, people get hurt every day. I'm willing to suffer a bit more if I can get Al back," he retorted. With that remark hanging in the air, he left the room. He was tired and sweaty. Who knew that playing guitar could make him so tired? Well… he did start 'getting into it', as Christin put it, and had started jumping around the stage in time to the music. Heck, Christin was doing that, head-banging and strutting about the stage as she sang. And she had told him it was okay to go a little nuts. He was wet clay in her hands.

"You're in love with Ed, aren't you?" Winry asked. Rose blanched and after a few moments nodded.

"I know it's stupid, but I can't seem to let him go. Back when Dante was controlling me, I told him that I loved him. I guess that was really true, and I guess he might have been in love with me. I had my chance, and I missed it. He's moved on…" she sniffled and wiped at her wet cheeks. "… so why can't I?" she sank against the wall and slid to the floor, salty tears running down her cheeks.

"Rose, you can't let this get to you. I admit that I was in a similar situation. I thought: 'how could he love someone who's so different… someone who doesn't even belong in this world?' but looking at the broader scheme of things, he's actually made a really good choice. Yeah, Christin is more than slightly weird and stuff, but she's still human like the rest of us. Out of all the women he could've picked, he chose someone who can let him be himself and still be by his side," Winry consoled her.

"What should I do?" Rose asked, her voice quavering a bit.

"Try to move on with your life. Find someone else. That's what I did," the blond replied.

"You're right. I've got to get up and use my legs…" she wiped her face again.

"How touching…" a female voice cooed. Every head in the room turned to gaze upon its owner. A tall woman with a purple tattoo in the center of her chest stood against the open window.

"We'll make this simple, just like how you fools made it so easy to find the girl," a young boy grinned. "Give us the girl and we'll let you live."

"You'll have to go through me," Marcus challenged.

"If you insist…" the woman shrugged, extending her hand towards him. She speared him with her super long fingers, piercing his right shoulder and the right side of his stomach. She then lifted him up and threw him across the room.

"We're back," Envy's voice sang. He jumped into the room from outside the window. "Where is she? And Edward… bring him here too. I want him to watch this…"

"I'm right here Envy," Edward replied. He clapped and transmuted his automail into his customary blade. "If you wanna live I suggest you leave."

"Oh, pipsqueak's all grown up now, ain't he? How adorable. Have you grown since we last met, dear brother?" Envy cooed.

"Yeah, actually, I have!" Edward replied, slicing at the Homunculus. "You wanna make something of it?"

"Yes, Brother, let's make something of it," Alphonse's voice snarled. He was flanked by Deceit and Robin.

"Alphonse?" Edward's voice quavered. Christin had told him that Alphonse wanted his humanity back, but… looking at him now he kinda doubted it. He had never seen such a cold look in his brother's eyes before.

"My name is Vengeance…" he started, clapping his hands and transmuting the nearby window into a glass sword, "… and that's exactly what I'm going to get!" he charged. Edward just barely dodged in time, though the glass blade cut his left shoulder. He watched out of the corner of his eye as Deceit pressed two fingers to her lips and pulled from them a string of her black power. He stuck back at Alphonse, though the action hurt him quite a bit, and when he looked around everyone was wrapped up in that strange black echo of Christin's power.

"If I go with you, will you promise to leave them alone?" Christin's monotone voice asked as she entered the room.

"You'll come willingly?" Envy asked.

"I will, no fuss or anything; but you must promise to leave them alone if I do," she bargained.

"Are you sure you want to make that bargain?" Robin asked. He offered his hand. "Come with me; there is something I think will interest you greatly. It will not take long, only a couple hours."

"Very well, but until we return neither party will harm the other, is that understood?" she demanded, her power generating in a circle around the perimeter of the room. Everyone nodded, more or less. The power seeped into the floor. "You are bound by your words. If you go back on them, I won't hesitate to kill anyone."

"Shall we?" Robin offered his hand again. Christin glared at him and he smirked, though she took it anyway. What he had in mind, she had no clue. Not that she cared all that much any more; she just wanted to protect her precious friends. In the blink of an eye, they were flying through a strange vortex and the next second they were somewhere… very familiar to Christin.

"This is my school!" she cried, recognizing the layout of the campus. Only… some things were different. The formerly brown lockers were now a bright forest green and the students seemed much happier. There was an all-weather track surrounding the astro turf football field and there were new buildings.

"This is your world…. Without you around, things have prospered greatly. More students are staying in school longer and are getting better grades. They are generally happy," Robin mumbled as he followed her around the campus.

"That's can't be because I'm gone…" she shook her head. Something like that was just not possible. She was only one person; she could not have had that great of an impact.

"Remember this place?" Robin asked, warping her to another location.

"Katie's house…" she breathed. She watched as her old friends ran around the backyard, tailed by Katie's two dogs Red and Blue. The horses were still there, though they were probably different horses because they didn't much look like the ones that had been here when she was.

"Don't you see how happy they are without you?" he asked. Christin folded her arms securely around her waist. She was starting to feel a bit sick.

"Whatever…" she retorted. Again she was warped to another location. Her old home.

"Mama…" she whispered when she saw her mother. She blanched when she saw her father there. And her little brother. They were all eating dinner together and they looked… happy.

"Because you left, their memories of you were deleted. It's like you never existed. And because of that your father and mother remarried. They are better off without you. There is one last place I want you to see before we go back," Robin sneered.

"A bookstore?" she asked when they warped again. She watched as Robin browsed through the store, leading her to the manga section she loved so much. His grey eyes scanned the shelves until he found what he was looking for. He picked up the book and handed it to her.

"I think you'll recognize this despite the fact that your memories were deleted when you Jumped," he mumbled. Christin took the book and looked at the cover. Its title read 'Fullmetal Alchemist' and there was a picture of Edward and a suit of armor on the cover. Starting to panic, she flipped it over and read the summary on the back. It was exactly like Alphonse explained it to her.

"it's… just a story?" she asked in a small voice. "But… how? How can that…" she stopped when he held up another book. She snatched that one out of his hands and gawked at the cover. This one's title read 'Far Away' and there was a drawing of her, Edward and Alphonse on the cover.

"Read," he ordered. Slowly and with trembling hands, she flipped it over.

"'Edward and Alphonse Elric's adventures continue in the long awaited sequel to the hit manga and anime phenomenon 'Fullmetal Alchemist'. When they come across a young girl who travels through time and space, their entire world is turned upside down as a nasty plot in the military threatens to destroy everything they hold dear. Will her strange powers and their alchemy be enough to overcome the conspiracy created by the last living Homunculus… or will everything fall apart?'…" she dropped the book and sunk to her knees. "I don't understand… my life is just a story? Words written on a page?"

"When you Jumped to our world, your entire existence was erased and rewritten. It now appears as that story, and everyone who had a connection to you forgot you ever existed anywhere but in the pages of that book and its sisters," he gestured to the seven odd volumes on the shelf, not counting the duplicate copies of the volumes. "It was the same in our world. Before you showed up, there was a novel about a young girl from a fantasy world. The rough outline was her challenges growing up with a family who disliked her and a life that was falling apart. When you came, it along with everyone's memories about such a thing were erased and rewritten. That's the price you paid for your fondest wish: your existence for your happiness. Don't you get it?"

"Get what?" her brain was not working properly anymore.

"So long as you live in any dimension or any world, you'll only bring chaos and unhappiness and leave destruction in your wake. If you leave one world, you bring all your problems into the next one and wreak havoc there. I'm sure you've noticed that things never used to be the way they are now. Ever since they met you, Edward and Alphonse Elric's lives have been warped and ruined because of you. Anything you touch gets destroyed and that's because of your power," he replied.

"I… bring destruction?" she asked.

"There is this thing we alchemists call the Truth. It is similar to you Mother Goddess of Creta. They are beings who control and direct the flow of life, infinitely more powerful than an alchemist or a Kali'rah. I'm sure your goddess was just being nice during your little chat a while ago. There is only one thing you can do to save you and your so-called friends, and that is to surrender your power to whom it truly belongs," he hissed.

"So-called? What do you mean? Edward and everyone like me for who I am… especially Edward…" she mumbled. Robin offered his hand again and she took it. He hauled her off the ground and pulled her close so he could whisper in your ear.

"You have no idea what goes on behind your back, do you?" he chuckled darkly.

* * *

"how much longer do you think she'll be?" Edward groaned, clunking his head against the wall. He and Rose had been separated from the others, who were locked away in similar situations.

"I don't much care…" Rose muttered. She turned her gaze on him. He had grown since she last saw him, and his hair was longer. His muscles were discreet but still noticeable if you really looked. Over all he was quite the specimen of a man. Rose felt her face heat up a bit as she walked up behind him.

"R-Rose?" he asked when she hugged him from behind.

"you know, don't you? That I love you?" she whispered. "you've always known, haven't you?"

"not this again… Rose, listen to me, we're just friends, okay?" he turned around had held her at arms length, "I don't want to sound mean or anything but we're just friends and we'll ne—" he was cut off when she kissed him. Much to his surprise, he found himself kissing her back. Before things could get more out of hand, he pulled away.

"Winry told me to move on with my life. But to do that I need this," she whispered, walking closer to him. "I know that you were infatuated with me, Edward, you don't need to deny it. I admit I was under Dante's control when I told you I loved you, but those words were true. I love you, Edward."

"Rose, stop. Seriously, is Christin finds out…" again he was prevented from speaking, this time his lips blocked by her hand. He tried really hard not to watch as she started unbuttoning her shirt.

"I don't care what she does. She's not here," she replied. "She doesn't need to know."

"Do you even realize what you're doing?" he asked, closing his eyes tightly and turning his head away.

"I do. I know you want me, Edward. Your body says what your voice doesn't," she lilted, dragging a finger down his front and hooking it in his belt. "When we first met, you told me to get up and move forward. I have to do this if I'm going to get on with my life… and I want to." She kissed him again, passionately. Edward's mind seemed to shut off. He kissed her back and pulled her closer, though his mind was screaming to stop. Somewhere in the back of his conscious mind, he heard the door open. Furniture shattering broke him out of his stupor. Christin stood by the cracked door, staring at him in disbelief. Pain came off her in waves.

"god…" she muttered. "how, Ed? How could you do this to me when you know I depend on you?" she asked in a broken voice before turning and running away.

"Christin, wait. It wasn't me…" he started, cut off by a punch in his face.

"you bastard! I gave you everything! I supported you; every fucking thing I've been doing lately is for you! I'm trying to get _your_ damn brother back!" she screamed, tackling him and pinning him to the floor.

"Please listen to me! It wasn't my fault it was…" he stopped when something wet hit his cheek. She was crying.

"Was I not enough? Am I not good enough for you?" she sobbed, tears streaming in salty waterfalls down her cheeks. She opened her mouth to say something else, but closed it and got off him.

"Wait, will you just listen to me?" he called, sitting up.

"You may take me away now. I'm not feeling very well," she said to Envy. He smirked and summoned the Homunculi. In a gust of wind they were gone.

Edward just sat there, staring at where she last stood. It was almost like Noa… his chest hurt really bad. He clutched his head in his hands and curled up a bit.

"Edward?" Rose asked, walking into the room. Everyone else inched their way inside as well.

"She's gone… are you happy now Rose?" he asked softly so his voice wouldn't break. He bit his lip as he started crying silently, his tears mixing with the ones sill lingering on his face, Christin's tears. "My entire future is gone…" he hurt so much he wanted to die.

* * *

_A/N: another great chappy (I hope)! Can you believe this? I mean, I didn't even plan the whole thing with the worlds and the stories and Christin's life being wiped away and turned into a story, and then there was the whole thing with Rose…well, that I did plan. Poor Edward… I feel so bad for him. He's trying so hard to make everything okay, and then shit happens. Poor guy…what is this 'future' he's talking about? Can any of you guess? R&R pleeeeeeze! by the way, Nana and Sailor Moon are some freaking awesome series. sailor moon originally got me iinto manga and anime (it was the first i ever read/saw) and Nana is just freaking awesome. i love Shin._

_Until chapter 35…_


	35. Princess Princess

35: Princess Princess

"My lady, it's time to wake up," a gentle voice broke through Christin's dreamless sleep. She sighed deeply and sat up, for a moment forgetting where she was. The rich fabrics of the bed and her nightdress were not at all what she was used to. It was a warm morning, two weeks after finding Edward cheating on her with Rose. Her heart still ached horribly. She let her new servants lead her to the ornate bathroom, where a warm bath waited. She was stripped of her clothing and got into the bath, letting the warm water erase a bit of the chill generated by stepping bare-footed on the polished stone floor. She had a group of five servants, all women aged sixteen to twenty-three, who followed her everywhere. They woke her up, dressed her, bathed her, and anything else she might need. She was, after all, a 'princess'. The second youngest, a nineteen year old named Helena, began washing her. She didn't care anymore what people did to her. After what Edward did… well, she didn't care about anything anymore. The pain in her chest drowned out anything else that tried to take root there.

"Which dress would you like to wear today?" the oldest, a woman named Annai, asked.

"Annai, you could garb me in a garbage bag secured with duct tape. I really don't give a crap," Christin drawled, inhaling the sweet scent of the shampoo. She turned on the hot water, as she had absorbed most of the heat already. Annai scuttled away.

"Master Envy requested your presence today, Princess," the youngest, Runan, reported when she entered the room.

"Whatever…" Christin sighed, dunking her head under the now scalding water. The sharpness of the heat distracted her from the pain in her chest. It gave her something else to cry about… or at least get teary. She had set her body on 'automatic', a state where she functioned but never really interacted, and when it switched to manual she felt things. She was aware of the pain in her chest, the tears threatening to run down her cheeks, the urge to start cutting again, the urge to hurt herself, pain for pain; a way to escape her suffering. Any time she got depressed, she acted like an apathetic masochistic zombie. But this time her entire world had shattered. She had _become_ that zombie. As she was mulling about her thoughts, the new cut mark on her arm began to sting and her lungs begged for air. She burst through the surface of the water, splashing it everywhere.

"All clean," Helena chirped. Christin felt a smile tug at her lips, though it was dry and lacked true emotions. Something about Helena made her want to smile. The girl's perkiness was infectious. She stood up and was wrapped in a fuzzy towel while someone rubbed her hair dry with a towel. It was probably Juliet, the middle servant. She had a flair for hair and loved playing with her tresses. Christin found herself looking at the most interesting hairstyles sometimes, as she did nothing much besides stay in her room and draw. She left to go eat in the dining hall, and when someone requested to see her, but otherwise she stayed firmly inside her room, which was pleasant because no one was allowed inside unless she admitted them.

Annai came into the room, a bundle of black and dark red fabric in her arms.

"Master Envy requested you wear this," she noted. Christin replied with her usual blank stare into nothingness. When she snapped out of her stupor, she looked in the full length mirrored wall. It was an old style dress, much like the ones she had seen in a picture in a history book once. A tight fitting corset made of dark red fabric trimmed with black lace and ribbons squeezed her midsection so much she almost found it hard to breathe. The top was heart-shaped and fit along the curve of her breasts perfectly. The top had sleeves that hung off her shoulders in the most provocative way, the black fabric clinging to her arms until it reached just above her elbows, where it flowed in black cascade against her pale skin. The skirt was floor length and black, interspersed with dark red ribbons and more lace, the same color as the ribbons, and billowed out dramatically. She looked like a noble woman from Victorian England or something… or a princess.

"It's alright, I guess. A little dark, though. What say we add some color?" Christin asked in a soft voice. She picked up a sharp hairpin and pressed it just above the farthest right side of her right breast, near her armpit. She added pressure until it broke the skin and she dragged it across her chest, following the lines of her accentuated breasts. The blood flowed in a neat line, dripping down her chest and staining the fabric. All her servants averted their eyes; watching their mistress harm herself was awful but there was nothing they could do; it was not their place to speak.

Juliet motioned for her to sit down. Christin obliged and let her hair be played with.

"You're leaving the room for something important today. Is there any special request?" she asked, not really expecting an answer.

"Loose curls, tumbling down around my face and shoulders," Christin replied. Juliet smiled and nodded. A few minutes later she was ready. "You may stay here. I can handle this by myself," she said to her servants. They nodded and went to tidy up the room, as Christin left messes everywhere, mostly paper and pencils and such, though there were some leftover food scraps from her snacking.

"You look exquisite, my dear," Robin said when she opened the door. She cast him an apathetic glance and looked away.

"If you say so," she mumbled. She still did not like this man. He had raped her (though she did love Marcus), and basically told her that she was living in a story. But this was her life, not Fushigi Yugi. She was not Miaka and she did not need to save the world… right? Edward was not Tamahome and this was not a fantasy. This was her reality, but because of Robin she was starting to doubt even that. Could she truly be so abhorrent that her entire existence had been wiped clean away and replaced as a story? Moreover… was she even real? Or was she just a character in a story, acting the way some sick author decided? Perhaps… the way her life had been going lately… it would be better if this was a story… one with a, preferably, happy ending.

"Envy requested that I escort you," he said with a slight bow. Christin shrugged and he started walking. "You remind me of the women of old times. Do you know the legend of the city that vanished in one night?"

"Sure," she mumbled.

"That is where we will go, you know. The entire city is underground. Your Edward knows this city as well," he chattered. Hearing someone speak his name sent a surge of pain throughout her body. "It's quite interesting really. Several years ago, he came here to bring back his brother, who had become the Philosopher's Stone and was taken hostage by a woman named Dante. His friend Rose was here too, being used as Dante's puppet. She was able to live for four hundred years by using the Philosopher's stone to jump from body to body. Rose was her next target before Edward showed up. It's funny… after I raped Rose she lost her voice and bore my child. Now I'm recreating the same situation with you. I raped you, you bore my child more or less, and you're going to become our puppet. I can hardly wait to see the look on his face once he sees what we're going to do to you."

"There she is; the one we've been waiting for!" Envy exclaimed when Christin walked into the large library. "You may go, McLean." Robin nodded and left.

"Is there something you require?" Christin asked in a flat monotone voice. Envy walked over to her, inspecting her carefully. His purple eyes fell on her chest.

"You've been cut," he said, tracing the freshly dried blood with his finger. The cut started bleeding again and he gazed at the fresh blood on his finger. "Who did it?" he asked, licking the blood off his finger.

"I did," she replied curtly.

"Why would you do such a thing?" he asked, shock creeping into his voice. If she threw away her life, everything would be in vain! He needed her… needed her power.

"To distract me from the pain in my heart," she answered. "Should I not have done it? It was only to easy my suffering; I would not throw away my life so carelessly."

"As long as you remain in the land of the living," Envy smiled. "You're a princess, and are very crucial to my plan. Once I get what I need from you, I can get rid of those filthy humans…" he returned from his growling in a moment. "Vengeance tells me that you dance. Is that true?"

"I have not danced since that day," she replied, indicating when she caught Edward and Rose together. "Nor have I sung. Those things are connected to memories I do not wish to relive at this point in time, however if you wish it, I will dance."

"Can you dance with a partner?" he asked, growing more curious by the second. He could see why Edward had liked her so much, and she seemed so much stronger than Rose, whose mind had been completely controlled.

"Only with _him_," she spoke the word as if it were poison, "and only once, some time ago." Envy grinned.

"Then dance with me. I want to see your skills," he murmured.

"As I said before, I can only dance with _him_. For some unknown reason I can read his movements and body language and match them with my own. Dancing with another will throw me off course and hinder my skill," she replied, casting her eyes down at the carpet, which was faded from the sunlight and worn from being walked upon so much.

"You haven't seen my power, have you?" he asked gleefully. He grabbed her face gently and turned it towards him so she could watch. He smirked as her eyes widened as he transformed from the green haired Homunculus into the blond alchemist. "Pretty accurate portrayal, eh? After all these years, I've still got it."

"Even your voice matches his, along with your appearance. I know you are not him, though my heart screams that you are. I'm sure if I had not seen you change, I would believe that you are him," she replied softly. Envy had become an exact copy of Edward, and it made her heart ache. Everything, from that stupid hair wisp that stood up from his head to his fiery golden eyes to his automail arm to his clothing was exactly like Edward. Even his posture emulated that of the one she loved and hated. She wanted to cry.

"That is all I wanted to show you, really," Envy sighed, changing back into his prior form. "You see, I can do almost anything with my power. People believe I really am the one whose face I steal, unless I screw it up like when I shot that fool with the glasses who was always carrying on about his daughter. But ever since then I've gotten it right. I can even become you," he grinned as he changed into a mirror image of her. She let her surprised expression fall into her monotonous, emotionless one she had wore before. Even this person demonstrated an amazing ability. How could there be so many talented people in one world, let alone a country? And how did she fall into all this?

"Envy, we're ready to depart," a woman poked her head through the door.

"Great. We're going to Central City because it's part of my maser plan, and you are coming along. That's not problematic, is it?" he asked with mock concern. Christin shook her head. She didn't care. "Good. Now, you'll want to change because we are traveling above ground in broad daylight. If you strutted around town in that getup, people would think you're even more eccentric than you really are. Can you change quickly into something more appropriate for everyday travel?"

"Don't be stupid; it's much simpler than you think," she retorted. The next moment her dress shredded and rearranged itself into a form-fitting mini dress and black blazer complete with black knee high boots. "See? Easy peasy."

"Let's go. I think you're really going to like what we have planned for you," Envy grinned. Things just might turn out better than he hoped.

* * *

"Edward, you have to come out sometime!!" Winry's concerned voice called through the door, which he had sealed with alchemy.

He had spent the past two weeks in the room he had shared with Christin, doing absolutely nothing. He had curled up on the bed, as far into the corner where two walls met as was humanly possible without going through them, and just sat there. He hadn't eaten or slept in days, just sat there and stared at the far wall while life went on around him. He had become completely lethargic and his muscles were stiff from sitting in the same position for two weeks. His hair had become tangled from the occasional breeze that drifted in through the open window, and he had been wearing the same clothes since the day she left… since when he screwed up. He knew he really needed to bathe and interact with people, but he lacked the will to get up and face the world. He hadn't realized how full and exciting his life had become with Christin in it until she left. Now all he saw was a dull, dreary, empty void full of detached voices and painful memories. He felt like he didn't have a future anymore. He had lost the only woman he had really, truly loved because he couldn't stay faithful. He just had to let Rose have her way. He liked the woman, yes, but things didn't need to go that far. Now he was paying for it, an equivalent exchange. What bugged him, but didn't annoy him enough to get up and do something, was how willingly she went with the Homunculi… and how she did it to save them in a way. First he lost his dad, but that was okay as he hated him at the time (though he grew to like him a bit after crossing through the Gate), then he had lost his mom, but brought her back as a Homunculus and had to lose her again. Next was his home world, but he came back after all, followed by Alphonse, who had been manipulated by the Homunculus Deceit, then Christin, who had left to get Alphonse back and spare his life, though she had been hurt in the process. On top of all that, he lost his will to live. Maybe if he stayed in here long enough…

The door being crashed through made him jump the slightest bit. Armstrong barged through, his metal gauntlets gleaming in the slices of sunlight. It had been a while since he had used them, but since the door had been sealed with alchemy, alchemy seemed the best way to open it.

"Ed, you've gotta snap out of it! Everyone's worried sick!" Winry cried. He snorted in reply, a way of saying he didn't care. "Edward, if you keep this up you're going to die!"

"I don't care…" he mumbled, fighting back hot tears. He hadn't cried in quite some time, but two weeks ago he had just started crying like it was the most natural thing in the world for him. He had numbed himself to prevent that but contact with people was bringing the tears back. He didn't know something could hurt so much. He knew it was his fault, but it still really hurt. Of all the stupid things he could've done…

"Well, I do, and so does everyone else!" she protested, grabbing his collar and shaking him. "You heard what Christin said before she left that first time! 'If I go, will you promise to leave them alone?' don't you get it? She's doing this to protect us, so we don't suffer any more than we have to. You're just making it worse for yourself because Rose acted foolishly!"

"I'm really sorry Edward. Winry is right; I shouldn't have acted like that," Rose appeared by the door. Edward continued his dead stare ahead, not bothering to acknowledge her presence or even existence.

"What about you master plan to bring her back after she was captured?" Roy asked.

"Forget it. She wanted to go with them and I don't care anymore…" the blond man muttered. Roy growled and pulled out a gloved hand and snapped his fingers. "What the heck!? What are you trying to do!?" Edward cried as he dodged the flames.

"We're trying to get you back, Edward. You're destroying yourself and just sitting here doing nothing isn't going to change the situation!" Riza burst.

"You have to save her, Brother," Alphonse's voice joined the others. Edward looked up to his brother crouching on the windowsill like an overgrown bird. "She's no better than you, if not worse."

"Al? Are you…" Edward started, suddenly very hopeful.

"Not yet. We're relocating to Central today. I just thought I'd tell you now so you know where to go. Brother…" he paused and gnawed on his lip, unsure of how to phrase what he had to say, "… she's been hurting herself. She's not herself at all. She won't talk to anyone, she won't do anything, all she does most of the time is stay in her room and when she comes out she has all these new cuts on her body. She's not taking the situation any better than you are."

"What? Why is she doing that?" he asked.

"Because she's hurting, Brother. Just like you," he cocked his head to the side. "I have to go now. You have to get her back, Brother, because that's the only way you can get me back too. She still loves you; I know it." With that he left. Edward stared at the spot he had occupied a moment before he vanished before he got up and stretched his sore muscles.

"Okay, here's plan B: we go to Central and find her," he said firmly, more to himself than to the others because he knew that if he let himself fall into that numbness again, he might not see Christin again… unless it was a her funeral.

"That's the Ed we know and love," Winry smiled, standing up to hug her friend. She quickly pulled away. "Go take a shower, mister," she ordered. Edward grinned and obeyed.

* * *

"Are you comfortable my lady?" Helena asked. Christin nodded a bit and continued to stare out the window listlessly. She was not allowed to be around sharp objects anymore, lest she damage herself more. Her hand, which had been twirling a lock of hair between her fingers so much it had become tangled and matted, dropped to her chest where she fingered the scar above where her mechanical heart was steadily beating. Her heart was not real anymore… so did that mean her emotions were not real as well?

"I remember it now, that void has been filled. The emptiness that dwelt in my mind for so long… I was an otaku, a fan of Japanese anime and manga. My friend Katie had invited me over to her house one weekend. I picked up a manga book off her shelf and started reading. It was called 'Fullmetal Alchemist' and I quickly grew to like it. Before I knew it I had read every volume she had and I had fallen in love with Edward. Had I known the main character was a boy, I would not have read it for I get attached quickly to that which I like. I came to love it more and more, and eventually it became my world. It was what saved me from myself. It taught me how to smile because the author was so funny in her depictions of all the characters. I remember… reading countless fanfics of FMA on the internet, mostly ones about Edward because I loved him so much. I made up my own character and Katie did the same. We began rewriting the story to include our characters. That idea slowly died off and I started writing my own fanfics and posting them online on sites such as Quizilla and . I watched the anime and read more of the manga and even downloaded some FMA songs from the anime into Saru. I hated my life so bad that I wanted to enter that world. It seemed so much more interesting than my boring life. I didn't care what equivalent exchange I had to pay to get there, so long as I did. Who knew that I'd get exactly what I wanted?" she rambled.

"My lady…" Runan started.

"Does that mean this is my version of Fushigi Yugi? Am I Miaka? Or Takiko, even? Born in another world then transported into another so I can save it? That does seem to be what I'm doing of sorts. But… are all the people I know and love really real… or are they just images on a page, acting as an author wishes? Am I now one of those images controlled by an author? Where do I go from here?" Christin asked the glass window pane of the express train to Central. "Is the life I knew a lie, the story, or is it this one?"

"My lady, you must not dwell on such unpleasant thoughts. You are in bad enough shape already, and the master will have my head should something bad happen to you," Runan said. "This world is as real as any other. You should not doubt your existence, but be grateful that you exist."

"It is too late for such calming words, Runan. My mind is already beginning to unravel. I'm slowly going mad because I don't know where I'm going," Christin replied softly. "Runan, if I should cave in, I want you and the others to remember me as I once was."

"Oh my lady, you must stop with this nonsense! No good can come of such negative thoughts!" Runan cried. "Surely your loved ones will come and save you from this evil plot; you must hang on to your sanity for their sake!"

"For sixteen years, I thought I was worthless. It warped my mind and I find it hard to accept that people actually want me around. Runan… I want you to swear that you will do everything in your power to keep me alive, at the very least. My mind may shatter, for I am very unstable, but I want you to ensure that I live," she urged.

"My lady, I would die to perverse your life," Runan replied, a smile tugging at her lips. Christin felt a small one break her solemn façade. She had to admit, it felt nice to feel a fraction of the emotions she once felt, however fleeting it was. The next moment her apathy took control again and she resumed her listless gaze into the distance, looking at everything but seeing nothing.

* * *

It felt like a few days had passed when she actually noticed that they were in Central. She recognized the military building and cringed at the newly build section. Ooh, she was gonna get in trouble…

"Miss Fallbrook, because of your instability to control your power, part of the main building was demolished during a test of you power. Several officers died and many more were injured. You also caused several thousands of sens worth of damage," the council charged her. She was standing trial for reckless use of her power.

"Yes…" she replied, the only word she could think of.

"Because of that, you are now in debt and owe us the cost for repairs and other minor incidents including clean up, funeral costs, and medical bills. How do you intend to pay back your debt?" a wrinkled old man asked.

"I'm afraid I cannot. I have no money and no job, and I doubt my legal father will be able to pay for my foolishness," she replied grimly. No way would Roy pay for her. She was gonna have to fix this herself.

"You seem to have matured a bit since we last saw you. As I'm sure you are aware, you are now a legal adult. We are willing to enlist you in the military to pay back what you owe, as either a state alchemist or officer of rank,"

"But I cannot perform alchemy! Well, a little bit, but not enough to become a state alchemist!" she protested.

"The common folk will not now the difference between magic and alchemy. That fool Cornello had an entire city duped into believing his alchemy was 'miracles of a god'. I'm sure your power will be no different," another man said.

"However, I think we have something that will pique your interest. If you'll follow us…" a third gestured to the door behind them. She followed behind and walked into a large circular room that oddly resembled an aircraft hanger.

"It is our latest technological development, an aero plane. It is used to fly through the sky over long distances, but I'm sure you know that," the wrinkled old man grinned.

"Oh yeah, where I'm from, they're used in the military, for passengers to travel form one location to another, and they were even used to carry mail at one point or another. We even have ones that go into space. Why do you have them?" she replied.

"Our neighboring country to the north, Drachma, apparently has been developing a similar machine for use in a surprise attack. We built our own to counter theirs and have even started an air fleet. There is just one problem… Finley Campbell, the lead scientist who died during your little… tantrum, was able to use your technology and incorporate it into our design. Don't ask how he got the information; the man was a bloody genius. Our problem is we can't get them to start," the first man who spoke when he listed her charges, a portly man with thinning brown hair, sighed. "He built them based entirely on the technological evidence he gathered from studying you and we have no idea how to turn them on as he died before revealing that."

"I'm sorry I ruined that, but I believe I can start them. They are based on foreign technology, so it makes sense that someone with knowledge of foreign technology would know how to start them. Help me up into it," she waved them over. She was lifted into it, not bothering to use her powers, and stared at the controls. It was similar to an image she saw in a book once, with gauges for nearly everything. Right behind the stick, where no one would notice unless they were paying attention, was a small slot for a key. She fingered it and jumped when a small shock of her power leaped from her body into the mechanism. She waited a few moments but nothing happened. "Is there a key?"

"Yes, but we can't find where it would go," the chubby officer called.

"Give it," she ordered. He tossed a small silver stick into the air and she caught it, jamming it into its slot. She turned it and the engine roared to life. "Problem solved!" she chirped, hopping out and returning the key.

"Perhaps you should start the other as well," the old man suggested. Christin nodded and began walking to the other end of the hanger, but stopped when loud groaning followed her. She turned around and saw the plane a few feet behind her. She took a few steps backwards and the plane followed.

"Quickly open the doors, I have an idea!" she cried. Several men in dark blue cover alls pulled the large hanger doors open.

Christin took a deep breath and started running for the opening. The plane followed, picking up speed. She jumped and started flying and the plane followed. She soared easily through the air and the plane mimicked her motions, turning when she turned, matching glide for glide, loop-de-loop for loop-de-loop. After a few minutes of sublime flying, she landed and saw her white power jump from the plane back into her body. Ah, so she had played controller to the plane. That made sense, what with her affinity for machines and technology.

"Well, that was truly an impressive display, young lady. You ruled the sky right there," a fourth man hooted. "A princess of the heavens."

"Gentlemen, I think we found our captain of the air fleet. Miss Fallbrook, as a way to pay off your debt, would you consider being enlisted as captain of the air fleet and lead pilot of the squad?" the old man asked eagerly.

"I guess I have no choice; I'll do it," she sighed. Good feelings were gone now and apathy had settled in again.

"Excellent, she took it," Envy smirked to Robin from the shadows.

* * *

_A/N: okay, so if you're confused, Edward is okay now and he's going to try to save Christin. Christin is not okay and is still upset with Edward. If you remember from way back in part one, she demolished part of HQ and now she's come back to Central to fix the problem, which is basically paying back what it cost to take care of everything, though that isn't the real reason Envy brought her there. His real reason lies hidden within the new air fleet, which she is now the captain of. More drama in the next one, cuz things are gonna get crazy._

_Oh, I'm scrapping my idea of 25 chapters per part and I'm just gonna end it where it ends (if that makes sense)… whatever… R&R pleeeeze_

_Until chapter 36…_


	36. Doubt and Confusion

36: Doubt and Confusion

"Do we really hafta go to HQ?" Edward whined. He was not in the mood for that right now; he wanted to find Christin because he had something very important to talk to her about.

"Yes, we hafta, because I have work and you should reinstate yourself as a state alchemist. You can't keep mooching off your friends forever," Roy replied curtly. He, Russell, and Edward were walking briskly through the crisp morning air to Central HQ. Havoc, Riza, Fuery and the other officer friends went back to HQ ahead of them. Rose, Marcus, and the Armstrong's had stayed back in Liore while everyone else went their separate ways… mostly. The Tringham's and Kelsie were still part of the party, as was Katie. Winry and Pinako had gone back to Resembool and Lin, Lanfan and May headed north.

"Yeah, Ed, grow up will ya?" Russell teased. He had successfully talked Fletcher out of becoming a state alchemist, so the kid waited back at Roy's house with Katie and Kelsie.

"Shut it, impostor," Edward hissed.

"Still going on about that? Well… you did come back alive, so I guess I could let it go…" Russell grinned. Truthfully, he had missed Edward while he was beyond the Gate. Now that he was back he had someone to mock because, though he was a year younger, he was still taller than Edward. Roy and the two blonds tromped through HQ until they reached the Fuhrer's office. Apparently there was a lieutenant Fuhrer until a new one could be selected, but with war brewing with Drachma things were a little sketchy as to who would lead the country. Roy knocked twice and waited to be let inside.

"Enter!" a female voice barked. The three men inched into the room, for the voice was sharp and slightly terrifying.

A blond woman stood with her back to them, her hair making a nice contrast to the blue of the uniform. She turned around and all three sucked in a breath: the woman looked sort of like Armstrong! They straightened up and saluted her.

"At ease; give me your names and reasons for visiting. Mustang, I need no answer from you," she snapped when Roy opened his mouth to speak. He quickly shut it.

"I'm Russell Tringham and I want to apply to be a state alchemist," Russell said.

"I'm Edward Elric and I want to be reinstated as a state alchemist," Edward replied.

"I'm Olivier Armstrong, the lieutenant Fuhrer, and sister to Alex Louis Armstrong. Take a seat please," she gestured to the couches. The men plopped down nervously. A knock on the door made them all jump. "Enter!"

A young man, probably no more than twenty, strode into the room. What confused the three was that his uniform was colored differently. Edward knew that MP's had different color uniforms, but those were purple. This man's was completely different. The normally blue (or purple) part was bright white and the normally white trim was a golden yellow.

"Ah, yes, excellent. Have the captain of the fleet meet me here in a few minutes," she nodded in response to something the man had said. He nodded and breezed out, closing the door behind him. "Alright, gentlemen, let's get started. Edward, I'm sure you know the drill for applying to be a state alchemist, so I won't need to explain it to you. Being reinstated will be the same as when you first applied, a written exam and a display of your power. Mr. Tringham, would you come here please?" Russell grinned weakly and approached the desk.

"What fleet do you think she's talking about?" Edward whispered, lest the scary woman overhear.

"Honestly I'm not sure. Something that requires a new uniform, that much I'm sure of," the brunette nodded. Well, shoot, he could've guessed that much. Russell returned a few moments later with a stack of papers and a pen. Edward smiled weakly; the written test hadn't been that long… oh wait, there was personal information forms and other crap too, only he hadn't had to fill all that out all at once. Maybe that was why Russell's stack of paper seemed so large.

Russell was halfway through the stack when someone knocked on the door for the third time in the past hour. "Enter!" Olivier barked. Someone rattled the door, trying to pull it open. "Push the door, you ditz!" she snapped. The door slowly opened. "Honestly, how long have you been here, and I don't mean recently. If I recall correctly, you spent quite some time here before, Captain," Olivier sighed.

"Sorry, ma'am. I've never been to this part of the building," a shockingly familiar voice relied sarcastically.

"I assume that's why it took you thirty minutes to find my office?" she huffed. "Don't just stand there, come in and close the door!"

"Alright! Sorry," the voice hissed. Edward looked up from watching Russell fill out paperwork and felt his heart skip quite a few beats. Christin stood in front of the doors, wearing the same crisp white uniform the other man had been wearing. White with gold trim, only she wore a tight fitting miniskirt instead of pants. Something that looked like goggles dangled from her belt and her hair was pulled back in a loose and slightly messy bun. "Captain of the Nadesico, Ruri Hoshino reporting," she said with a salute. Olivier's hard stare wore her down. "Alright… Captain Christin Fallbrook of the AMAF, reporting, Fuhrer," she sighed.

"That's better, captain. I'll let it slide as this is your first day actually on the job, but I expect better next time," the lieutenant Furher sighed. "What do you have?"

"Okay, so you know the spies we sent to Drachma? Well, they came back and apparently they're building this huge fleet of air ships with, like, five people per ship with about a hundred ships total," Christin reported. "So we're counting roughly five hundred men, not including the ones who repair and maintain the ships and ground control. Just the men who will fly. There's one pilot, a co-pilot, two gunmen, and a backup guy incase someone dies or falls out of their ship or something."

"Captain, I'm going to point out to you that these are planes, not ships," Olivier interjected.

"Lieutenant Furher, I beg to differ. As you can clearly see in this picture, these are not planes, but air ships," Christin produced a small photo and handed it to Olivier.

"Well, this is slightly problematic. I trust you have a solution?" the blond woman sighed again.

"Well…" Christin drug out the word like she was pondering the biggest questions of life, "As captain of the fleet, I kinda did come up with something that will totally blow their minds."

"And what, pray tell, might that be?" Olivier asked.

"Oh, it's nothing really. It's just a massive mother ship that will totally dominate them!" she grinned, clasping her hands together. "I lied; it's just some blueprints for a mother ship, but since I'm already in debt I guessed I couldn't ask for funding to build the thing, so I kinda had to scrap the plans. Well, that and the fleet's kinda new so I guessed maybe not…"

"Very well, as long as we know what we're up against. I'll send in a requisition for a grant sum of money to fund your 'mother ship' plans after I review them. Finished, Mr. Tringham?" the lieutenant Furher asked when Russell approached her desk and handed her the stack of papers. "Excellent. It will take a bit of time to process this, as I'm rather busy with other things at the moment, but if you are in need of employment, there are a few openings in the air fleet. Would you consider it?"

"Air fleet?" Edward asked. Oh, he wished Christin would look at him! Either she was ignoring him or she hadn't noticed he was in the room. He wanted to patch things up with her, because this separation was bugging him.

"Due to recent advances in technology, we've successfully developed a machine for air travel and/or combat. Right now we're working on the combat part, as Drachma has developed similar machines. We're very lucky to have Miss Fallbrook under our jurisdiction, as she is familiar with the technology our leading technician was working with prior to his death. That and there's the fact that she owes us quite a bit of money for being involved with that little… demolition derby some time ago," Olivier answered. "As I'm sure you just heard, Drachma has started a rather large air force and we are quickly starting our own. We have about seventy planes built with more still being constructed. Our air fleet is large, sixty men and women, not including the captain of the entire fleet, but we still need recruits if we're going to be ready in case Drachma attacks."

"Will it be just until my application is processed, or is it permanent?" Russell asked.

"I suppose it would be useful to have state alchemists in the air fleet, so I'm going to say it will be permanent. Mr. Elric, are you interested as well, or would you like your old job back?" Olivier grinned.

"I don't see why not. I guess I'll do it," he answered. Christin sucked in a breath sharply when Edward replied. So he really was here. Well, shit! That just ruined everything. Just when she had started to feel that pain go away, it just had to flare up again.

"Very well. I'll get some forms for you to sign while the captain shows you around and gets uniforms for you. Mustang, you have quite a bit of work to catch up on, so I suggest you scuttle back to your office and get to it," Olivier waved, dismissing them all. All four people saluted and exited the room.

"This is just freakin' perfect…" Christin hissed. "Okay newbies, follow me. Roy, I'll see you later I guess, cuz I have to get all my crap from your place and into my dorm and I left my key there."

"Christin…" Edward started. She turned on her heel and began stalking down the hall. Russell and Edward followed. "Will you at least listen to me?"

"Is Fletcher here with you Russell? I'm surprised he's not here," she chattered, obviously ignoring him.

"He stayed with Kelsie and Katie. He sends his love," the blue eyed man replied, casting Edward an apologetic smile. He sighed and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "This is new; I've never been in this part of the building before."

"It's fairly new, so I don't expect you to know your way around. Still get lost and I've been here for a week. Okay, so, the military has started an air fleet to protect the country against Drachma, who we think may pose a threat. They also have an air force-fleet thingie so the bigwigs here decided the only way to effectively fight an air craft, if it ever comes to that, would be with another air craft. Blah, blah, yadda, yadda, moving on," she led them through a large steel door.

"Whoa…" both men breathed. A massive room extended before them, with countless sleek, silver flying machines lined up neatly in rows. People in white uniforms and blue jump suits mulled around, saluting her when they walked by.

"This is the air craft hanger, where the ships are kept. Depending on where you sign up for, you'll be assigned a ship and be made part of a crew. I'll give you a rundown on my ship," she patted the steel nose of the ship nearest them. "This is _Sora no Hime_, or Sky Princess and my personal ship. I'm a pilot, and I'm also captain of the entire fleet. The cockpit hold two people, a pilot and a co-pilot, while the rear compartment houses the artillery men, who basically drop bombs on people's heads and fire crap at other planes in hopes of shooting them down, and supplies such as weapons, obviously, and food and stuff in case we go down and are stranded somewhere."

"Excuse me Captain, but one of the mechanics has a problem he can't fix and was wondering if you'd take a look," a man with brown bushy hair in a white uniform interrupted.

"Sure," Christin nodded. The three wandered over to ship whose engine was exposed. "What's wrong?"

"I think there's a plug in the oil tank, but I'm not sure. Either way it isn't draining," a man replied. Christin climbed up the small step ladder to get a closer look. She pressed a finger to the small gap and slowly pulled out a string of black oil.

"It hadn't been cleaned well enough before, so it got dirty much quicker and clogged. Make sure you drain it completely before filling it again next time," she said.

"Yes Captain," he bowed, flushing with embarrassment.

"Okay, back to the ships…" they tromped back to _Sora no Hime_. "Okay, this is the cockpit. The pilot sits in front and the co-pilot sits behind. These gauges are for gas, altitude, pressure, etc. You'll learn about those in basic training. These things are communication headphones. This thing here," she tapped a small black blob at the end of a stick, "…is a microphone. Back here is the cargo hold. These are the machine guns and bazookas. They're bolted to the plane so you can't jack one and start blasting aliens or whatever; this isn't a videogame and you are not the Terminator. Here we have parachutes, in case we need to abandon ship and we're still airborne, and extra ammo. I guess that's it… uniforms, right, right… this way gentlemen."

"Captain," a man saluted her.

"Admiral. I need two uniforms for them, please," she jerked her thumb at Edward and Russell.

"Ah, new recruits?" the admiral asked, eyeing them. Edward fidgeted nervously when the admiral's sharp green eyes lingered on him. "So the Fullmetal Alchemist is part of our team now?"

"Yes, apparently so," Christin's voice was cold and flat and made Edward wince. Clearly things were not going to get better anytime soon. "The Lieutenant Furher said we could use some state alchemists in the fleet and signed up these two boneheads."

"Try these on," the admiral handed the two men bundles of white fabric. "Well, don't just stand there."

"You mean now?" Edward asked nervously.

"Don't be over sensitive on my account. I've seen what you have, Elric, and I'm not too thrilled to see it again," Christin snapped.

"Ouch," Russell winced.

"Low blow," the admiral smirked. Edward sighed and started undressing, donning the blindingly white air fleet uniform. This was probably a really bad idea, but he didn't have much of a choice. The uniform was a little big, but a quick transmutation fixed that, though it seemed to work quicker than before. "Alright, then, everything checks out. If you need anything else, just let me know."

"I need a chainsaw and a truckload of chocolate," Christin grumbled. Her day had been going _so_ well until a few minutes ago. Now she wasn't apathetic anymore, she was full blown pissed off. The nerve of Edward to show his face after what he did! And he wanted to talk to her about it; oh, there was nothing to talk about. He had his hands all over Rose, among other things. Okay, perhaps she was exaggerating a little as he had just kissed her and had his hands on her hips, but whatever! That infidel… that ingrate… how dare he!! All she wanted to do was chop stuff up with a chainsaw and then gorge on chocolate. Unfortunately, there was no Hershey's in Amestris, which sucked because she had had the biggest craving _ever since she came to this world_. Se turned on her heel and stormed off, leaving the blond men to trail after her.

"Oh, hello captain," a short girl with wavy reddish-brown hair saluted her. A girl with similar hair color, though it was cut short, did the same.

"Gentlemen, this is Commander Janay Kingsley," she motioned to the one with reddish brown wavy hair, "…and Commander Narcissus Fuery. They're going to take you through basic training. If you need anything, don't hesitate to come talk to me."

Edward opened his mouth to speak but the words never passed beyond his brain as Christin had stormed off. He watched her dully as she left the hanger, faltering once and clinging to the wall before resuming her walk. He sighed so pitifully he was shocked it came out of his own mouth.

* * *

"If you keep this up, you're not going to make it," Aislinn commented when Christin walked back into her office.

"I'm fine," the other replied blankly.

"No you're not! You already passed out once today!" Alphonse protested. "You need to eat at least!"

"I have no interest in food," Christin demurred. She had neither ate nor slept in about a week, and though she hated to admit that they were right, she was starting to fall apart. On top of that, she kept harming herself. "Nothing holds any interest for my anymore."

"Look, Brother can be a real idiot. Just about everyone who works here knows that; you need to learn that too. You know how obsessed with you he is! Why can't you just forgive him?!" Alphonse cried, stomping his foot in frustration.

"I want to, but something deep inside me won't let me. He… probably thinks I'm worthless, that I have no real value. I can just be used and thrown away. That overpowers my desire to forgive him, because I saw that I wasn't enough for him," she answered, grabbing a stack of papers she needed to sign and a pen.

"You can't keep thinking like that, Christin!" Aislinn cried. A loud blaring siren cut through everything, making Christin groan. Droning noises were the exact thing that made it hard for her to function.

"It's an attack; we should go," she mumbled over the noise.

"Christin if you keep this up you're going to kill yourself!!" Alphonse grabbed her shoulder and spun her around so she was facing him.

"Why the hell do you care? You probably think the same thing, don't you?" she asked. The siren still blared and quite a few people in white uniforms rushed towards the hanger.

Alphonse stared at Christin. What had happened to her? Could she really be so devastated by one stupid move pulled by his numbskull brother? He was about to chew her out again when he realized that… he was the same when he found her cheating on him with his brother. He had shut down and turned into someone he didn't recognize, doing things he never normally did and saying things he knew he wouldn't have normally said. One slip up can shatter one's confidence in someone else. The siren was so loud that he almost missed what she said next.

"Besides… if I die, the whole world will go back to normal, right? Wouldn't you like to have your old life back? You should just forget about me and let me die."

* * *

_A/N: part two (or book two as my friend Kelly Nelly Chan calls it) will be ending in the next chapter or two. Please keep supporting Christin and stick with her through her stupidity. I promise it's going to have a happy ending!!!!!!!! by the way, if anyone knows about Martian Successor Nadesico, please tell me. i hae the movie Prince of Darkness, but am totally clueless as to what happened before._

_Until chapter 37…_


	37. War

37: War

"What's going on?" Edward asked. A siren had started blaring really loudly, making him jump.

"Everyone remain calm. There has been an enemy sighting. This is not a drill; I repeat, this is not a drill." A voice announced over the intercom. Cissy, as Narcissus preferred to be called, jammed a communicator on his head. At first he heard nothing but static, but after a while Christin's voice took over.

"Everyone get into position. Blue squad, you're going out first. Red squad, you follow them. Silver will stay here as back up. Gold, you're all coming with me!" her voice was so professional it almost didn't sound like her. "Elric and Tringham, you two are going to fly with me. Find a suitable spot and get ready to fly."

"I don't get it. What are we supposed to do?" Russell asked as they hurried over to the _Sora no Hime_. Two other guys were adjusting their aviation goggles and communicators.

"We need a gunman and a co-pilot. Hurry up and decide your posts!" one barked.

"I can't fly a plane!" Russell whined.

"I can, more or less, but I can't be co-pilot!" Edward cried.

"Shut up and get in the plane if you wanna live!" Christin barked. Edward scrambled into the co-pilot's seat and stared blankly at the buckles. "Oh my… move your hands; I'll do it." She muttered something under her breath as she strapped him in, tugging on the shiny black belts until they were a little more than snug. A loud explosion sounded in the distance.

"We're ready back here, Captain!" the other man reported.

"Keep an eye on Tringham," she ordered. Edward watched as Christin did something with all the buttons and knobs in front of her and flinched when the plane roared to life. "Here we go!" she warned, steering the plane out after the others.

Edward couldn't help staring as the machine lifted off the ground. He had never been up so high… well, he had, but he hadn't seen his home world like this. He could actually see the curve of the planet as they rose higher into the atmosphere. Sharp black ships that looked more like blobs darted around the sky, leaving trails of bombs and smoke in their wake. He gritted his teeth as the plane sped up, tailing one enemy vessel in particular. Something zoomed past them on his left; Christin turned the plane so sharply it flipped over a few times.

"You bastard… what the hell did we ever do to you?!" she cried.

"So you're the girl with the special powers… this might be easier than I thought. Quite some time ago, my superiors sent in a requisition to have an audience with you. They were denied," a male voice replied.

"That's no reason to start bombing a city!!" she barked.

"Actually, it is. You're an abomination and a freak of nature. Something like you shouldn't be alive. We heard of you and your power and knew something was severely wrong. No one, not even your beloved alchemists," Edward flinched, "… can do the things you can. We tolerate the alchemists because they are so powerful."

"So I'm too powerful, eh? Is that it? Because I'm so powerful you want me out of the way," she chuckled dryly. "Elric, take over. Harper, you instruct him."

"What? What are you doing, Christin?" Edward asked as she unbuckled her seatbelts and turned transparent.

"I'm trying to solve the problem. And that's Captain to you," she replied curtly. She climbed through the roof of the plane and solidified, but not before Edward grabbed her ankle, thus turning transparent himself, and joining her on the roof.

"Stop it! Why won't you listen to me?" he demanded.

"You idiot! Why are you up here?! Don't you know that you can fall off if no one's driving?!" she snapped. She grabbed his automail hand and in a flash of light fused it to the plane. "Stay put; I'm getting a pilot."

"I can't!" he heard Russell insist. The blond man was shoved through the transparent roof and strapped in.

"It'll be fine," she said softly before returning to the roof. She unfused Edward's hand and the plane suddenly banked. Edward slid off and began plummeting towards the earth. "God… why me?" she muttered as she dove off the roof. Edward was so scared he couldn't even think. He thought he saw Christin jump off after him, but he wasn't sure. Wind whipped his hair into his face and made his clothing flap. Suddenly, something grabbed his waist and the wind changed direction. He looked up through slices in his blond bangs.

"You can fly?!" he cried.

"Can it; this isn't as easy as it looks. You weigh a ton," Christin replied. He watched with wide eyes as her body vanished. "Stay quiet. Invisibility only works if you're silent."

He nodded, not knowing what else to do. She seemed to hate him right now, but why was she saving him? He let his face fall and just let Christin do whatever. He felt his body… warp was a good word, like when Christin first jumped them into this world. Something red fell out of the sky, splattering in his face. It was very warm; blood, most likely. All too quickly he fell to the ground, getting the wind knocked out of him.

* * *

"Ah, she brought the other alchemist we needed. How thoughtful…" a very familiar voice cooed. He blinked and saw Envy leering down at him.

"Envy, you…" he started.

"Tut tut, now's not the time for sweet nothings. Though I have to ask, isn't it marvelous?" the Homunculus grinned. "While the outside world is occupied with another war, we have the whole city to ourselves. Remember this place?"

Edward's golden eyes scanned the room and his breath hitched in his throat. It was the ballroom he had been in when he had saved Alphonse from Dante and Rose almost became her new body. A large transmutation circle was carved into the polished floor.

"What are you planning to do?" he gasped, still trying to get his breath back.

"I'm going to take over the world, like any good villain would. Now, your role is the unsuspecting-but-still-helps-the-villain-because-the-people-he-loves-are-at-risk hero. Think you can play that part?" Envy asked sarcastically.

"Brother!!" Alphonse cried. Edward snapped his head around to see his brother chained to the floor.

"Al!!" he cried.

"Ah, ah, ah… I don't think so…" Envy cooed. He grabbed Edward's collar and flung him across the room. Someone grabbed his wrists and clamped shackles around them. Heavy chains weighed them down. "That's better. Now… for the main event."

"What are you doing, Envy?!" Edward cried. He watched as his half brother approached Christin and began lying her out on the floor in the middle of the circle. "Don't touch her!!"

"Aw, quit whining. It's not like I'm going to kill her…" he sighed, "Yet."

"Envy, please stop this!!" Deceit cried as she ran into the room, tackling the said Homunculus. "This is wrong!!"

"Shut up! No one's listening to you, you worthless waste of space!" he snapped. Edward clapped and transmuted his shackles… or so he thought. "Can't transmute them, Fullmetal. They're specially fabricated to resist alchemy. I can't have you trying to play a part other than the one specifically for you." He whipped his head around and grabbed Deceit's hair. "And you! What the hell is your problem?! After all the hard work I've put into this, you choose now of all times to bow out?!"

"I don't want this, Envy. I'm sick of living this life… living a lie! Hundreds of people are suffering because of you!! You're disrupting the flow of the world and wrecking everything!" Deceit cried, glaring furiously up at him. "I know now… I know you rigged everything… everything from Christin's passage through the gate shortly after she was born because of her power to the train accident that killed me… none of that was supposed to happen!!" she gasped and coughed up blood.

"That's what you get for trying to save your stupid sister and her boyfriends," Envy hissed, withdrawing his arm-turned-blade from her abdomen. "Now stay out of my way so I can get her power and my revenge!"

"What's going on?!" Edward cried as the chains attached to his shackled jerked forward, bringing his hands together for a clap. He watched as Alphonse did the same, only to see their shackles disintegrate into white dust.

"I'm the one you want, right? Why bother terrorizing my friends? Why bother starting a war? All you could possibly want is right in front of you," Christin said as she stood up, blood dripping down the side of her face. "Why not take me, if that's what you so desire?"

"I won't let you walk away from this alive!!!" Envy screeched. Deceit shrieked and clutched her head, quickly followed by Alphonse. "Aislinn and Alphonse are only part Homunculus, meaning I can take control of them anytime I want to. And because your heart is also a machine, I can control you, thanks to Robin's ability to jump through time and space. He was kind enough to bring me a controlling device as a souvenir, something that can control anything that is a machine."

"Brother…" Alphonse gasped. Edward dashed for Envy, swiftly transmuting his arm into a blade. Deceit darted in front of him and blocked his attempted attack at Envy with her arm.

"You have to kill me… that's the only way you can free yourself and your brother…" she croaked. "Please… kill me…"

"Aislinn, don't say that! You can't die!" Christin cried, large cracks appearing in the ground from sudden instability of her powers.

"Yes, that's it… lose control…" Envy grinned. "… Unleash your pain and suffering… the more you release the more I can control…"

Edward tried circling Envy, but Aislinn blocked him again, forming a shield out of her black power. Christin watched in horror as her friends fought each other. She tried to keep her powers under control, but just couldn't. The cracks traveled further across the floor, snaking up into the wall where the two met sometimes. Her chest throbbed in pain, as did her head. Suddenly, an idea struck her: Aislinn and she were connected, right? Some things that one did reciprocated in the other. Maybe… just maybe… she grit her teeth and made ready to charge, but Alphonse blocked her path. Before she could think, she slammed into him, pressing her lips to his and transferring her power. Something red – too pinkish to be blood – began oozing out of his neck and crystallizing. She had countered the Red Stones in his body and they were now being rejected. She just had to do the same with Aislinn… with her apparent sister. But she seemed to be more under Envy's control than Alphonse had, so she might have to use her brilliant idea after all. Edward still fought her, trying to get to Envy, who was merely standing there laughing his green-haired head off. Aislinn kept getting in his way… maybe her idea would work… out of the corner of her eye, she saw Robin stride into the room.

Envy slowed his laughing to a chuckle, but his eyes went wide when he saw Christin heading towards them. "Vengeance, get her!" he barked. A familiar flash of blue light indicated that the boy was no longer part Homunculus… that stupid girl returned his humanity! He saw the crystallized, rejected Red Stones sparkling in the dim lighting. He tried to move, but found his feet trapped.

"My name is Alphonse, and I'm not a Homunculus anymore. I'm sick of being everyone's puppet. I have my body back and I'm going to put it to good use!" Alphonse roared, feeling angrier than he ever had in his entire life.

Edward sighed and clapped, pressing his hands to the floor. Large blocks rose out of the ground, but Deceit… Aislinn, whoever she was… simply ran along the tops of them as they rose out of the ground. For a split second he saw her face; she was crying. This was hurting her… he hated it too, because she reminded him so much of Christin, but until he got to Envy there wasn't much he could do about it. She was under his control, and until he got around _her_ could he get to _him_. Alphonse was busy with the other Homunculi, who appeared sometime in the past few minutes, and Christin… was fighting off Robin. Amidst the chaos, he felt eerily calm. She was trying to save _him._ Maybe… maybe she didn't hate him after all. He knew that she was prone to interpreting things the wrong way… maybe she had seen that it wasn't his fault so much as Rose. Or maybe she wanted to do away with him by her own hands. He shook his head, dashing the negative thoughts from his brain and returned his attention to Aislinn.

"Christin… she can stop this…" she whispered. Confusion flashed through his brain. Christin was helping them; he already knew that. She as trying to stop Envy's madness. He had gone too far this time. Hohenheim was dead, as was Dante… why did he still come after him? Edward had nothing to do with his creation, so why was he at the center of so many attacks? Shouldn't Envy have died when the permanent Gate was made back in Germany? How deep did his hatred run?

"Try all you want, Fullmetal! You'll never get anywhere!" Envy cackled.

"I've had enough of you!" Edward hollered. "When I kill you this time, I want you to stay dead!!

He swung his right arm around extra harsh, hoping to pierce Aislinn and wound her enough to make Envy pause to let her regenerate. He closed his eyes as he was about to strike, desperately wishing this was all over. He felt his arm enter something soft and warm, and heard a feminine gasp. Wait… why did he feel the insides of Aislinn? All the times his automail touched her, he hadn't felt anything. He slowly opened his eyes and immediately wished he hadn't. Christin coughed up blood and gripped his arm. She looked up weakly and offered a smile.

"Sorry about how I acted before. I knew… it wasn't your fault…" she coughed. Edward just stared in horror at her, his golden eyes filling with hot tears. What had he done?

Instead of hitting Aislinn, he had pierced Christin directly through her abdomen.

* * *

_A/N: okay, a rather short chappy, but whatever. I've decided to stop the breaking up the story into three parts and mush them all into one, like I originally planned. Also, I changed the title to Deus ex Machina, because it means 'god from a machine' in Latin, and Christin is basically that: she has the powers of a 'god' but realized that through the 'machine' she was becoming (her ipod fusing with her body and then her mechanical heart). Makes sense? Yes? No? Maybe so? I dunno… it makes sense to me and if you think about it I'm sure you'll get it too. If not, then please enjoy the story for the story's sake. Like the ending for this chappy? I've wanted to write that for __**months**__ now._

_Until chapter 38…_


	38. Transmutation and the Truth

38: Transmutation and the Truth

Edward's breath seeped slowly from his lungs as Christin dropped to the floor. His brain refused to function. All he could do was stare at what he had done. Blood flowed from the wound in her stomach, creating a miniature ocean around her body. He heard something drop to the floor and looked away; Aislinn had collapsed, blood flowing from the exact same spot as Christin. Her body didn't regenerate like a normal Homunculi's would.

"No! Look what you've done! Everything's ruined now!" Envy screeched. "Robin, get over here and handle this!" he barked. Robin darted over to the edge of the circle opposite where Christin and Aislinn lay.

"I brought her back once; I can do it again!" he assured Envy. Alphonse rushed over as Edward sunk to his knees and pulled Christin's limp body onto his lap. He had almost lost her once; he didn't want to risk her dying again.

* * *

"Roy?" Riza asked, alarmed by his sudden perk. He glanced out the window nervously. Something was very wrong, apart from the war raging above everyone's head.

"Something's not right…" he muttered, breezing out the doorway to go zap some enemy ships with his alchemy.

"Sir, what's wrong?" she pressed, following him.

"I don't know exactly, but I know something big is happening… something bigger than this new war," he replied, giving his gloves a firm tug before stepping outside.

"Sir…" she started, cut off by his sudden action.

"In case I don't come back," he grinned, pulling out of the kiss enough to speak. "If Christin makes it out of here alive and I don't, she'll be in your care, Riza." He strode away, snapping his fingers at the sky and sending orange sparks of flame at a plane hovering foolishly overhead. It exploded in a fiery blast.

"Roy Mustang, you idiot…" she muttered, heading somewhere out of range of falling debris.

"I hope she's okay… I just know Christin's involved with this more than I know… if she doesn't make it out alive, I'm gonna roast her," he muttered, zapping another enemy plane.

* * *

"Hang on, I'll get you out of here, okay?" Edward sobbed.

"Ed… I'm really sorry… I took things the wrong way…" Christin gasped. She was trying to heal herself, but lacked enough energy to do so. "I'm such a fool…"

"No you're not. You'll be fine, I promise!" he cried.

"I… I need a little bit of what I gave you…" she replied, motioning for him to lean closer. "Remember… when I saved you from that fire at Pinako and Winry's place? I… I gave you some of my life force… that's why I almost died… and why you lived…"

"You saved me; I know that!" he snapped. "Stop talking and save your strength!"

"I didn't want to… tell you this… because I feared your reaction…" she said before kissing him. He felt some of his energy drain from his body and flow into Christin's.

"Tell me what?" he asked, slightly dazed.

"That's enough!" Envy barked. He picked up Edward by his collar and held him in the air. "I'm sick of you interfering with everything! I'm going to kill you for good this time!!"

"He belongs to me; don't touch him!" Christin cried. Light flashed and when it faded, Edward could see a thin white strand of something stretching from his chest to Christin's. "See? Because I shared my life force with you, we've been bonded eternally. Kind of like an Imprint in that stupid Twilight saga or the House of Night series. That's also why you can't leave me alone."

"Imprint? What do you mean?" Envy asked, puzzled.

"It's not something you would understand. You lack humanity so it's not a concept you can grasp. Love is not something someone like you can see or feel, Envy, and for that I pity you," she sighed. "Love is something that binds us together, attracts people to one another. But this Imprint thing goes beyond that. It ties us together for all eternity, a permanent bond of love that will never fade. Wow, I just sounded like cheesy fanfiction…"

"So you love each other, big deal. I don't care about petty human emotions," Envy sneered.

"That's why you'll never be a human, Envy. You don't understand how we feel. We get happy or sad or angry and get hurt and fall in and out of love. That's something you'll never do," she replied, walking over to Aislinn's unconscious body. She pressed a hand to her forehead and the Red Stones in her body began being rejected. In a few moments, she had changed into almost an exact replica of Christin, save for a faint scar of the Ouroboros tattoo on her forehead.

"I don't need a lecture! I'm going to kill you all and take over this world!!" Envy raged, dropping Edward and backing away. Christin slowly approached him, herding him away. He smirked before speaking, "now Robin!!"

A loud clap resounded in the ballroom and Edward, Aislinn, Alphonse and Christin were sucking into the light emanating from the circle carved into the floor.

* * *

Edward stared at the Gate, fear paralyzing him. The last time he had seen this, he had died. He looked all around him, but saw nothing except that white expanse of nothing, save for the massive door before him. Was he going to die now? He had been transmuted by Robin, he knew that much. Would he cross through the Gate again and land in Germany or maybe London like that first time? Where was Alphonse? He had been near him when they were transmuted. So had Christin and Aislinn; where were they? He stared as something flashed in his peripheral vision. He turned his head slowly and saw flashes of the people he had been with a few moments ago. His eyes widened when he saw his teacher Izumi materialize and smile at him. Did that mean she was dead? No, she couldn't die. She had beaten him and Alphonse senseless so many times… there was no way she could've died, right?

"Back yet again, are you?" a voice asked. He whipped his head around and saw the Truth sneering at him. "Did you come to get these?" he waved Edward's human limbs tauntingly. "While you think of an answer, I'm going to have a chat with your lover."

* * *

Christin blinked and looked around. Where was she? What was all this white… nothing? What was up with that strange door in front of her? Oddly enough, she wasn't scared. It felt almost exactly the same as when she talked with her Mother Goddess. That flow of energy that swam through her entire body… but where was she?

"Nice to see you again," a voice greeted her. A white blob materialized in front of her.

"Who are you?" she asked, feeling strangely calm.

"You don't remember? We talked not too long ago, but I did wear a different face, so I'm not surprised you don't recognize me," the blob instantly morphed into her Mother Goddess. "Is this better?"

"You and Mahweyna are the same?" she asked. "How?"

"She's just a different facet of me. Amestris has the Truth, Creta has the Mother Goddess Mahweyna, the people of Xing have their Great Dragon… it goes on and on, really. Now, about your little visit today…"

"Where are my friends?" she demanded.

"Oh, they're here. You just can't see them right now, but I'll fix that in a bit. I bet you wanna know why your life's so messed up, huh?" Truth giggled. "When you were born, I chose you as a special person who serves as a direct link to me. Your lover Edward has seen me, which is why he needs only to clap to transmute. A normal alchemist needs a circle. You, however, don't need to do either, because we're connected directly. Your sister Aislinn is the same, though Envy has thrown everything off course. He sent you through the Gate, not knowing you had a twin. When he found out about her, he tried to kill her and resurrect her as a Homunculus. And that's basically it. The life you knew is one you were never supposed to live."

"I'd been living a lie?" Christin asked. "You're sick."

"Hey, don't hate the player; hate the game. I would've brought you back, but I didn't know where you landed. You were so far out of my reach, so far away that I had no control over you anymore. By some fluke you were able to return to the other side of the Gate and you met the Elric's. Your power was awakened and you were able to return home. Aren't you happy?"

"Do I look like a toy to you?! Stop jerking me around!!" she cried.

"Ooh, you sound just like Edward. No wonder you two get along so well."

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"Right here," Truth replied. Three bubbles materialized, with her unconscious friends inside. "But, since they're not like you, with the exception of Aislinn, I'm afraid I'll have to take something from them before they go back. It's just how I work, honey," it responded to her shocked look.

"No. here's what's goin' on, Truth or whatever your name is. You let Alphonse go free, same with Aislinn. Edward gets his human limbs back and you let him go too," she dictated. "You may take whatever you wish from me in exchange."

"You drive a hard bargain, as I need you to fix everything. But since, Aislinn is back to her former human glory, I guess she'll suffice. This is going to hurt, but it's your payment for setting you and your friends free." Christin nodded and braced herself.

* * *

"Brother!" Alphonse cried softly. "Brother, wake up!"

Edward blinked groggily and rubbed his eyes, screwing the palms of his hands into his eye sockets. He freaked when he felt the skin of his right hand against his face.

"Al, what happened?" he asked, scrunching up his pant leg. Sure enough, his limb was flesh and bone again. Why?

"I don't know exactly. I saw the Gate, but then I passed out," he sighed.

"Me too… hey, where's Christin?" he asked, looking around the now abandoned ballroom.

"I don't know that either. Aislinn went after her a while ago…" Alphonse pointed towards the exit of the building. Edward stood up and swayed a bit. He was slightly dizzy, so he sat down again.

"I really need to talk to her…" he muttered, drawing his legs up under his chin and folding his arms across them.

"About what?" Alphonse asked. He instantly blushed; it was not his place to ask something like that.

"Promise you won't laugh?" Edward asked, burying his rd face in his arms.

"I promise," Alphonse replied gently.

"I…" he paused and sighed. Alphonse held back a snicker as Edward's eyes looked up at him through slits in his bangs. "I wanna ask her…"

"I didn't get that last part," Alphonse said.

"I wanna ask her to marry me…" Edward admitted. He nuzzled his face further into his arms and waited for the coming mockery. "Why aren't you laughing?" he asked after a few minutes.

"It's not something I should be laughing at. I think it's great that you feel that way, Brother. Really," Alphonse grinned. Edward felt a smile worm across his face too.

* * *

Christin stumbled through the underground city. Her throat stung horribly and she felt very empty inside. Why… of all the things the Truth could have taken from her… why _those_ things?

"Christin, where are you?" Aislinn's voice rang out over the empty buildings. Christin tried to call out to her, but her throat hurt so much that she couldn't. So she leaned against a wall and waited. About half an hour later, Aislinn appeared. "Hey, Ed's looking for you. Why'd you wander off like that?"

Christin shrugged. It's not like she could've answered. She sulked and followed Aislinn back to the ballroom. Once inside, she was smothered in someone's arms.

"You're okay… I was so scared you'd died again or something…" Edward whispered. Christin began sobbing; she realized how stupid she'd been. Edward had been nothing but good to her and because of one slip up she treated him like shit. And now she knew that what Robin told her was a lie; she was originally from this world... maybe. Perhaps that was why she felt so out of place in her 'home' world. She always knew that something wasn't right, that she didn't belong. But then… what of reading the story 'Fullmetal Alchemist'? And watching the anime? And her complicated love for Edward? Was that all just some illusion or a fabrication? Or maybe… that was her way of staying connected to this world. She didn't know anymore, nor did she care.

She started speaking, though her throat still stung a bit. Her voice sounded perfectly fine in her head, but she knew what had happened… what equivalent exchange had been made to get them out of the Gate.

"What's wrong? Why won't you say something?" he asked, cupping her face in his hands. He watched as she moved her mouth. "It helps if you actually speak, you know. I can't read lips."

Fresh tears trickled down her face. She continued to speak in her voiceless language, trying to tell Edward what happened.

"Christin, say something; you're starting to freak me out," he urged, rubbing his thumbs across her tear-streaked cheeks. His fingertips brushed against her throat, which vibrated like his own did when he spoke. She broke their gaze to scan the room. Her greenish eyes fell upon the puddles of blood slowly dying on the floor. She pushed his hands away and hurried over to them.

"What are you doing?" Aislinn asked.

"Are you going to paint with blood?" Alphonse inquired as Christin knelt down near the puddle. "That's just nasty." Christin shook her head and dipped a finger in the red liquid. She drew lines carefully across the floor, making sure her writing was legible though her hand was quivering.

Edward leaned over Alphonse's shoulder and watched as Christin wrote her message in blood on the floor. Why was she doing something so morbid? Why didn't she just talk? And why did he have his limbs back. She moved out of the way and tapped the area near her writing.

"When I talked with the Truth, I bargained for you three to be let go without paying. In exchange, I paid the price. That's why you have your human limbs back, Ed," Aislinn read aloud. "I don't get it; why can't you just say that?"

"You're not making any sense…" Edward sighed. Christin grabbed his hands and placed them on her throat. She then started using her voice box like she would if they could actually hear her speak. Edward felt the vibrations of her voice box. That was odd. It was working, but no sound was coming out. Christin knelt down in the puddles again, dipping her blood-stained fingers in the liquid again. She ground her teeth together as she wrote her next message.

"The Truth sealed both my voice and my powers in exchange for your limbs and getting you out alive," Alphonse read.

"You can't speak?" Edward asked, dreading her reply. She still didn't speak much, but he loved it when she did. She nodded slowly, a grim smile spreading across her face.

* * *

_A/N: things are going to calm down a bit in the next chapters… well, Envy is at least. I hope y'all aren't too mad at me for smushing part 2 in with part 1, but it's a lot easier for me. Read and review pleeze!!!_

_Until chapter 39…_


	39. Forgiveness

39: Forgiveness

"She can't talk?" Roy asked, confounded. "Did she get laryngitis or something?"

Christin sighed angrily and shook her head. Edward mimicked her motion.

"It's like I said: the Truth sealed her voice and her power in return for letting us go. That's it!!" the blond barked. The four had wound their way back up to Central from the underground city only to find a new battle field. Buildings were destroyed along with other unmentionables. Christin ground her teeth again and stormed through the ruins. How could Envy be so stupid?! She was all he wanted; why did he have to start a war over her? That was just stupid… they picked their way around the rubble and eventually reached HQ, where Roy was helping (or rather, instructing) clean up of debris in the immediate area. He was in a terrible mood, so finding out Christin in fact had survived whatever this attack was only egged him further. But then he found out about the Truth… and for the first time in a while he felt really, truly, honest-to-god sad.

"How are you going to communicate then?" Riza asked. Christin eyed them skeptically; she was clinging to Roy's arm almost possessively. She clapped her hands and pantomimed writing something down. No one understood so she sighed angrily again and went to her desk. She managed to find a blank scrap of paper.

"_I'll write everything down."_ The writing read.

"But don't you still have an image to maintain? That super singer-slash-captain routine?" Alphonse asked.

"Yeah, how are you going to uphold that if you can't talk?" Aislinn added. Christin grinned and scribbled something down as she walked over to her. When Aislinn had regained her humanity, she had changed into the human she used to be, which meant her hair color was exactly the same as Christin's, even the purple streaks.

"_Who's who?"_ the next message read. Edward and Alphonse shared a confused look. The two girls were identical!! Edward studied the two closely. They were the same height, had the same hair and eye color, their hair fell across their faces in the exact same way, their voices were eerily alike, and they even stood in a similar stance. He sighed and pointed to the girl on his left.

"You're Christin," he said.

"No I'm not," Aislinn replied gently.

"_Aislinn will be my shadow. Squee, it's almost like The Gentleman's Alliance Cross!"_ Christin scribbled. _"She'll act in my place until I get my voice back at least. That means you'll have to take my job as captain of the air fleet AND learn all the songs on Saru so you can play shows."_

"What?! I can't be you!" Aislinn cried, backing away.

"_Oh, no one will notice! Besides, we look almost exactly alike!"_ Christin wrote.

"You're different?" Alphonse asked. "How, I can't see it, apart from… you know… Aislinn being able to talk and all…"

Christin pushed Aislinn's bangs out of her eyes and tapped her forehead. Just barely the Elric brothers could make out a circular scar on her forehead. Upon closer inspection, it was the mark of the Ouroboros, faintly etched into her skin. Christin then tapped Alphonse's neck. Edward noticed a similar scar there too.

"_But if that's not enough of a difference I guess one of us can cut their hair or something."_ Christin added underneath the prior statement. She shrugged for emphasis.

"Don't cut your hair! I won't have anything to…" Edward stopped, blushing a dark red as he realized what he almost blurted. "Never mind…" he added, scratching the back of his head.

"What will you do in the meantime?" Riza asked. Christin tapped her chest where her heart was. "I'm sorry I don't know what…" Riza tapped her own chest, "… means."

"_My chest has been feeling kinda funny since I came back from seeing the Gate. I figured it be best if I go see Winry for maintenance, since I'm not really in the mood to die right now." _she wrote. _"Can you be me until I get things fixed and get my voice back?"_

"I'll try…" Aislinn sighed, utterly defeated. Alphonse hugged her, nuzzling his head in the crook of her neck.

"You'll do fine. Brother and Christin and I will help you," he assured her.

"_But still I'd either have to stay in one place, meaning never leave the building/room lest someone see me, or change my appearance so the massed won't know it's not really me out there."_ Christin scrawled on her paper, which was getting full of writing on both sides now. Even though she couldn't speak, she still used her voice box and moved her mouth, dictating the words silently to herself as she wrote. It was probably a good idea to keep her voice box working like normal so her voice wasn't all scratchy when – if – she got it back. A sharp knock on the door made everyone jump.

"Captain, may I speak with you for a moment?" Olivier's voice asked from behind the door. Christin quickly shrugged out of her jacket and forced it on Aislinn, whom she then drug around to her desk. When she herself was out of view, she wrote that Aislinn could open the door.

"You may come in," Aislinn answered shakily. The door swung open and the lieutenant Furher strode inside. "Y-yes?"

"Well, first off I'm glad to see you and Mr. Elric survived that fall, however I do have some bad news. We're going to have to transfer you, Mr. Elric, Mr. Tringham, lieutenant Hawkeye, several others, and Mustang to East City. I think you've caused enough trouble here in Central and when you try to help you only usher in more. Myself and several other high ranking officers would like it more if you'd remain in some remote area until we can clean things up around here," she said in one breath. Christin gnawed on her lip, silently cursing the blond woman. Like it was her fault that the stupid palm-tree wanna-be was a war monger! Ooh, next time she saw him he was going to lose something…

"Very well," Aislinn replied. Olivier saluted them all and left the room. Christin rammed her fist into her desk. God, this was getting irritating! She stood up and danced around while she cradled her throbbing fist. Man, if she could just get to Envy (and get her powers back)… then all this chaos would be over.

"Well, I guess that makes it easier for us to head back to Resembool…" Edward grinned.

* * *

"Is there really no better way to travel?" Aislinn asked a few days later.

"For us, no, there isn't. Normally we could've taken the train, but because a certain someone had to make a spectacle of themselves, we're stuck riding in the back of a hay wagon," Edward drawled, glaring at Christin. She returned the glare from beneath her blanket, a childish but functional disguise. "And I am getting hay down my pants," he added, wriggling uncomfortably. Christin tapped his shoulder gently and when he looked her way she flipped him off.

"Play nice you two," Alphonse chided. Christin stuck her tongue out at him. Even without her voice, she was able to convey her mood.

"Stop that," Edward groaned, fidgeting again. Christin mouthed the same words, putting on a stupid face, and then stuck her tongue out again, this time at Edward.

"Uh oh… someone's gonna end up walking to Resembool, aren't they?" Aislinn asked.

"If you ask me, I'd kick both of them out," Alphonse sighed, watching the small war between Christin and Edward.

"You do that one more time and I'll bite your tongue off!" the blond snapped.

Christin giggled silently and moved her hands around. Edward eventually got the fact that she was saying he was being dirty. He sighed and held his head in his hands. She tapped his shoulder again and he peeked at her from between his fingers. She mouthed the word 'later' and grinned hopefully. He nodded slowly and reclined backwards, this time getting hay down his shirt. Almost as if sensing his discomfort, he felt Christin's hands pull away stray pieces of hay around his neck. He squiggled a bit because it tickled. He heard her giggling silently beside him, her body shaking and rustling the hay upon which she sat. He glanced up at her and she stuck her tongue out again.

"Let's keep it clean, okay?" Alphonse sighed as Edward grabbed Christin and kissed her, trying to 'bite off her tongue' as he had put it.

He sat up straight and shrugged out of his overcoat. It was near the end of August and the heat lingered long after the sun went down. In another couple months, come December, it will have been four years since he first met Christin. Four years since this whole adventure started. Sure there were some rough patches here and there, but what good is a story if everything's alright all the time? There would be no plot and no one would like it. Honestly, he liked the fact that things went awry (and in some cases, painfully wrong). He sort of missed his old life, searching for the Philosopher's Stone and all that. Christin made life exciting again. Aislinn snuggled closer to him despite the heat, resting her head on his shoulder. Maybe that was why he fell in love with Christin at first… because he was really supposed to love Aislinn. The two were so similar it was almost scary, but it did make sense. Kinda like Christin reading/watching their lives through a T.V. show (whatever that was) and comic books; it was her way of staying connected to her home world. Maybe the same rule applied to himself and Aislinn. He let his head fall back against the side of the wagon and stared up into the rainbow colored sky created by the setting sun.

"We'll be pulling over soon. It's getting dark and Gertie needs to rest," the driver called over his shoulder. "I have a friend who lives just ahead, so we'll be bunking down there."

"Okay," Edward called. Christin had curled up in his lap. Whether she was sleeping or not, he didn't know, but if she was he didn't want to disturb her… yet, anyways. He was not going to carry her inside because she weighed quite a bit. She sighed and sat up, combing her hair out of her face with her fingers only to have it slide into her vision again. Perhaps he wouldn't have to wake her up after all. He noticed that after what happened with the Truth, she seemed a bit more clingy than usual. She would just sit there really close to him, resting some part of her body on his like it was comforting. Before she met the Truth, even the slightest touch eventually led to sex. Now… well, he had only been back in her good graces about a week and that period of time had been spent arranging transportation to Resembool, packing, and whatnot. They really hadn't had much 'quality time' together, especially since they were bunking down at Roy's place and strange and terrifying sounds kept oozing from behind his closed bedroom door. Christin had seriously considered going to therapy after hearing what she did, and Edward was more than willing to go himself. Geez, he had known the man was a total womanizer, but… why Riza, of all people?! He couldn't look either of them in the eye and was really glad that they had left ahead of them.

The diver steered his wagon over to a cheerful looking house with windows lit from inside, casting their yellow-orange glow into the encroaching darkness. Christin shifted her weight uncomfortably. If she was seen in public, she had to be in disguise; that part she didn't mind. What really bugged her was that Aislinn and Edward had to pretend to be in love. It wasn't that she didn't love Alphonse, but she hated seeing Edward with another girl, even one who looked like her. And the girl was her sister… an apparent twin!! Well, she had been really young (according to the Truth) when she was misplaced on the other side of the Gate (meaning halfway across the universe) so she wasn't surprised she didn't remember being born here. Still… the Truth was sick. How could he play with someone's life like that?! Things were making less sense as they progressed.

"Hey Ted!" the driver greeted a portly man with thinning grayish green hair. "Brought some visitors with me this time. Mind if they hunker down in your spare rooms?"

"Not at all. Will it be one room each, or two to a room?" Ted replied, sizing up the couples. "Cuz I only have three spare rooms, meaning two of you guests will be sharing a room with someone else."

"That's fine," Alphonse answered quickly. He glanced around nervously. Ted turned his back for a moment and Christin and Aislinn quickly swapped blanket for long overcoat. It was easier for them to fool people if they wore clothing that covered most of their bodies, mainly the individual clothing beneath. Christin had her 'punk-emo-goth-ness' (which consisted of mostly pants and shirts that were ripped up or had strange sayings like 'I'd love to help you out. Which way did you come in?' written on them in marker with the occasional miniskirt thrown in) as she called it, while Aislinn was more feminine, meaning she wore dressed and other 'lady-like attire'. Ted stared at them for a moment, confusion clouding his face, but shrugged and led them upstairs.

"So what's a big celebrity like you doin' way out here in the boonies?" Ted asked Christin. She shrugged.

"We're visiting some friends," Edward answered, which wasn't really a lie. He saw Christin pout. It must really suck to have to have someone else reply for you. "'Sides, she over used her vocal chords in practice one day and can't use her voice at all now. I'm hoping getting out in the middle of nowhere will help."

"Won't do you much good if your singer can't sing, eh?" the old man laughed heartily. "You should make a stop by this friend of mine's house. His son and his friends have started a band kinda like yours. They're actually not half bad, but I think it'd help if they got some input from professionals like you."

Edward glanced at Christin, who nodded vigorously. "Okay…" he shrugged.

"Okay, so two people can stay in here, and the other two can stay right across the hall. Holler if ya need somethin'!" he waved and headed back downstairs. Aislinn all but pushed Alphonse into the room they were going to share, barely remembering to close the door. Christin scribbled something in the small notebook she carried with her and showed it to Edward.

"'Horn dogs…' you know, that's not a bad description," he chuckled. He cringed when he heard something heavy drop on the floor. Christin waved a hand dismissively at the closed door and walked into the room they were to share.

Edward slowly closed the door and hesitated. Would she demand _that_ of him? Things had been rather tense since they patched up their differences… a bit. Or would she just act the way she had been since losing her voice, touching without lust? He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't hear her approach him. Actually, he didn't notice she was near him until her arms wound around his waist and she pressed her body against his. He turned his head and looked at her over his shoulder. She held up a folded scrap of paper.

"_I told you 'later', didn't I?"_ it read. He chuckled and smiled.

"So you did," he replied, turning around in her arms and kissing her. She moved her arms from his waist to his neck and pulled him in more, opening her mouth so his tongue could roam freely. He wasn't expecting her to practically leap into his arms, and he staggered at suddenly having to support her weight. His knees gave out and they sunk to the ground. Christin pushed him backwards until she was on top of him. He gave a disappointed moan when she pulled out of the kiss but it quickly changed into one of pleasure as she kissed down his neck. He wore a button down shirt, so it was easily removed. He shivered when her hands slid down his abdomen to work at his belt, and again when his erection was exposed to the somewhat chilly air leaking through his boxers. What was she?… all thought stopped when she took him into her mouth. She gave him head until he exploded inside her. He bit his lip and moaned as she kissed her way back up to his face. He found himself aroused again and sat up, setting her on his lap and slamming inside her. He burst for the second time and collapsed, utterly spent. Christin smoothed his sweat-dampened hair out of his face and smiled lovingly at him; she forgave him for everything he had done.

* * *

He must have fallen asleep, because he woke up to a sharp rapping on the door.

"Brother, get up! It's time to go!" Alphonse called through the door. Edward rolled over and got a mouthful of pillow. When had he been moved to the bed? He sat up and swallowed repeatedly, trying to get rid of that sticky fabric taste that makes your mouth feel like it's full of cotton. He spotted a pile of clothes at the foot of the bed with a folded piece of paper on top. Cautiously, he unfolded it.

"_I still love you. You know that, right?"_ Christin's elegant writing read. She used a calligraphic style of writing, unless she was rushing in which case she used chicken scratch or really illegible cursive, so it was easy to know it was she who left the note. He held the note to his lips and smiled stupidly before getting dressed. Dull music drifted up from downstairs and he hurried down, still pulling his shirt over his head as he went.

Christin and Aislinn were dancing to Ted's guitar playing. Alphonse kept a beat on a small drum and the wagon driver bopped his head in time to the music. The synchronization of the two girls was astounding. They read each other's movements perfectly, matching step for step, twirl for twirl, smile for smile. The music sped up and their dancing increased in pace. They pranced around the small gap of open floor like mirror images of the other, coming to a sharp halt when the music ended. Everyone clapped as the girls bowed. Christin spotted him and skipped over, planting a kiss on his cheek. She was flushed and breathing heavily, but her skin was oddly pale and that concerned him. She also looked like she might collapse.

"Well, we best be on our way. Thanks Ted. I'll see you around," the driver stood up and stretched. Aislinn adjusted her glasses, the same ones Christin used to wear before Alphonse was captured and still sometimes wore just for the hell of it. They were non-prescription, so her eyes wouldn't get damaged if she wore them for an extended period of time. Edward had tried them on once, and it was just like looking through a window.

"You okay? You look kinda…" Aislinn waved her hand in front of her face a few times, "… sick, I guess."

Christin shook her head and tapped her chest, indicating her heart was at the root of the problem. They had better get to Winry and Pinako's quick.

"You haven't lost your touch," Edward commented a while later. "You're still one of the best dancers I've seen." She grinned and made an 'aw, shucks' gesture.

"It's so strange not hearing you speak at all. I'm so used to your random outbursts," Alphonse said. "I admit I hated those stupid arguments you and Brother would get in, but now that you're 'mute' I kinda miss them." Christin gave him a death glare, but a smile broke out on her face anyway. It was really hard to get mad at that boy. He was just so… the only word she could think of to describe him was 'compassionate', though she never quite learned the meaning of the word. It was probably niceness or something.

* * *

"Everything's been thrown out of whack!" Envy barked, punching the wall and sending bits of plaster into the air. "We were so close, and then you had to go screw everything up!"

"Me?!" Robin cried in dismay. "All I did was transmute her like you told me to!"

"You didn't do it right! Now not only do we _not_ have her power, she can't use it either! And she stole two of my best lackeys!" the palm tree impersonator screeched. "I'm going to kill that girl if it's the last thing I do… but I'll settle for torturing you at the moment."

"Hey, I'm not the one you should be mad at!" Robin protested.

"Then _who_?" Envy snarled.

"You should be mad at yourself for not being able to handle things better," the ashen haired man smirked. Envy let a low guttural animal sound escape his throat as he threw Robin across the room like he was yesterday's newspaper. The officer hit the far wall and dropped to the ground.

"How dare you even suggest that!?" Envy growled.

"What are you gonna do, kill me off like you did Hakuro? Yeah, lotta good that'll do ya. Then you'll have to sucker your half siblings into helping you," he coughed, shaking his hair out of his eyes.

"You're just a minor officer; no one will notice," Envy chuckled.

"Wrong. I'm the Space-Time Alchemist, one of the most powerful alchemists in the history of this country. I think they'll notice if I'm gone," Robin grinned wryly.

"No they won't. No one cares… nobody cares about a pathetic, insignificant little worm like you…" Envy cackled. He turned and wandered off down the hall, leaving Robin alone and muttering to himself as he went.

Something was off about the green-haired thing, Robin mused to himself. In the time he had known Envy, it/he had always been on top of things. Now it seemed he was starting to fall apart at the seams.

As he stood up and brushed himself off, he wondered if it was possible for a Homunculus to go insane.

* * *

_A/N: hey, hey, hey, it's faaaat Albert! Okay, lame intro to the author's note…happy birthday, Edo kun!... maybe… it's wither today (Feb 4) or yesterday (Feb. 3). I can never remember which exactly. I know, I know, I'm terrible! *sob* so if any of you non-forgetful (or not-as-forgetful-as-me) people out there know which day his birthday is on, pleeeeze tell me so I can get it right! I know it's in winter, and I'm pretty sure it's in early February…my memory is just so horrible… I've even forgotten my own name more than once (and more than once in one day), so cut me some slack._

_Until chapter 40…_


	40. In the Back of My Mind

40: In the Back of My Mind

Christin sighed with relief when she saw the familiar yellow house rise out of the distance. Her chest was really starting to bother her now. She pressed a hand to the place just above her heart and felt its steady 'beating' through her chest. It seemed a bit slower than before. She _really_ hoped nothing bad was happening to her… again. After all she'd been through in the past several years, didn't she deserve a break? There was only so much a single person could take… after a while they'd start to fall apart. She had almost lost her mind once and she didn't want that to happen again. Saru hovered near her head, a Breaking Benjamin song playing softly in the background. Her ever present shikigami gave her a sense of comfort, but also a sense of doubt. Was this really who she was? What if she had grown up here like she was supposed to? Would she be different? No, she could not think like that. Letting those thoughts settle in her brain would only lead to the complete destruction of herself from the inside out.

"You okay?" Edward asked from behind. She jumped a bit and spun around. She shoo her head in so many different directions it was hard to tell if she was okay or not. He grabbed the sides of her face and held her head still. "Now, I want you to _calmly_", he stressed the word 'calmly'. "… answer my question. Are you okay?" she nodded slowly and deliberately. "Good, cuz you're freaking me out. I can't have you going unstable on me now." She let her head rest against his shoulder, her way of saying she was sorry. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and squeezed comfortingly. "You ready?"

"Ed! Al! you're back!" Winry cried, charging through the front door. She flung herself at her friends, nearly taking them to the ground.

"Get off me!" Edward gasped. she let up and stepped back.

"Don't act like you don't know me; say something," she said to Christin. The singer opened her mouth to speak, but then her expression fell and she tapped her throat and shook her head. The blond woman cast a confused look, so she brought out her notebook and scribbled down her greeting.

"I lost my voice. I can't talk." The mechanic read aloud. "Bet you strained your vocal chords during practice or something, huh? …no?" she asked in response to Christin's head-shaking. "Then what…" the smaller woman grabbed the taller one's hand and brought it to her throat where she knew her voice box was. She then proceeded to scream at her, making sure it vibrated as much as it could while she ranted about how fucked up everything was and how stupid Envy was being and how she hated almost everything. "Ed, Al, what happened?"

"Okay… so you know how I lost my limbs all those years ago? Well, something similar happened to her, only instead of losing something, her voice and powers were sealed," he sighed, running his right hand through his hair. "oh, and she got me these back," he added, waving his right arm around then pointing to his left leg.

"She… fixed you?" Winry asked, dumbfounded. "But how will we make money now?! You're our biggest customer!!" something hit the woman's leg with a _thwack_ sound. She looked down and saw Christin's notebook sprawled on the ground. She picked it up and flipped through the pages. Big, bold, and slightly sloppy writing caught her attention.

"_In case you forgot, you blond Barbie wanna-be, I have a heart that isn't exactly human anymore and it needs to be maintenanced!!!!!"_ the scribbles read. She snickered at the comment, but turned to Christin. She had knelt down on the ground and was glaring furiously at her. She tapped her heart and pointed at the house, mouthing the word 'now'. Winry studied the young celebrity closely: she was really, really pale, almost white, and she was breathing quickly.

"'Maintenanced' isn't a word," Aislinn pointed out. Christin rolled her eyes.

"We're kinda busy with a new patient right now, so we can't get to you right away. Can you hold out until tomorrow?" Pinako asked as she appeared in the doorway. "Oh, who's this?" she appraised Aislinn, who shrunk behind Alphonse.

"This is Aislinn. Apparently she's Christin's twin sister. At least, that's what she said the Truth said," Alphonse said. "She was the one who… who captured me and turned me into a Homunculus."

"It wasn't me; it was Envy," Aislinn said hotly. "Something is wrong with him… he's not the same thing he used to be."

"That's for damn sure. He nearly scared the crap outta me when he showed me his true face," Edward mumbled. Aislinn shook her head.

"That's not what I mean. I mean he's acting more rashly than usual. When I first met him, he would've never started a war to get something that was right in front of him. I think he's starting to lose his mind, or what's left of it at least," she mused. "I think it'd be best if we keep on our guard."

"Well, it won't do you any good standing out in the yard. Christin, you have some guests," Pinako nodded to the girl on the ground. She nodded slowly and stood up, wobbling a bit from the sudden lightheadedness that washed over her. She straightened herself out, snatched her notebook back from Winry, and marched inside. Alphonse grabbed Edward's sleeve and held him back a bit as Aislinn followed her.

"Do you think she'll be okay? She looks really awful, almost like teacher sometimes," Alphonse murmured.

"Teacher… Al, I want you to be really honest with me… how is teacher?" Edward asked, fearing the reality he was sure was coming.

"Brother… she died. About a year after I got my body back and you went through the Gate," he admitted, letting his grey eyes stare at his shoes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner…"

"It's alright…" Edward said dismissively. So his theory had been correct… it was still baffling to believe that such a strong woman would die. He meant… he knew that everyone and everything had to die at some point, but facing the reality was tough.

"If you want we could go visit her grave and maybe stop by and say hi to Sig. He still doesn't know you're back, you know," Alphonse nudged him with his elbow gently.

"I'd like that," Edward smiled. Alphonse linked his arm through Edward's and proceeded to drag him inside the familiar yellow structure. The elder felt his expression soften as he laid eyes upon the scene before him. Christin was playing with a small child, no more than a few months to a year old. Black Crescent looked up from the couch and smiled at Edward.

"She has taken well to my child," he tilted his head at her. "I suppose you are wondering why I am here."

"Now that you mention it…" Edward said.

"Chief Standing Bear had a premonition that something bad would happen to Silent Dreamer... Christin… and told me I should await her here and that I might be of some help to her," the man replied, standing up. The last time Edward had seen him, he had been clad in the tribal clothing of his tribe. Now he wore smart black pants and a deep green dress shirt. A black jacket was draped over the back of the couch. He reached into his pant's pocket and pulled out a small vial on a chain.

"What's that?" Alphonse asked.

"It is some of the chief's life force. He did not know why she would need this, but gave it to me anyway. He said I would know what it was for when I saw her…" the man replied, holding up for everyone to see.

"Black Cre…" Edward started, cut off by a hand held up.

"Call me Kuroki. It is what she does," he nodded again at Christin, who was bouncing the child on her knee.

"Okay, Kuroki…" Edward sighed. "What's it for?"

"It is not something I wish to discuss in front of her, as it may upset her. If you'll come with me…" Kuroki motioned for the blond man to follow. The two went into a hallway, out of earshot of the others. His cheery expression fell; Edward felt his breath hold involuntarily.

"What is it?" he pressed gently.

"Because of what happened to her… when she saved you from the fire… she transferred some of her life force into your body, binding you two together. What she did not control was how much she transferred. That was what caused her heart to give out in the first place. She still had her power then and that was what kept her heart functioning so well…" he started.

"What about now? She's lost her powers, just…" Edward sucked in a breath, "… just like she predicted."

"Edward… because she was relying on her power so much subconsciously, the sudden shock of having it taken away from her…" the man trailed off again.

"God, will you just tell me what's wrong?!" Edward snapped, his voice raising an octave.

"You must promise not to tell her this now; let me break it to her gently. I am still too shaken up to tell you what is wrong, and I apologize for prodding you to pursue it, but this is something she should know first… Chief Standing Bear has died," Kuroki brought his blue eyes up to meet Edward's gold ones.

"So much for that theory…" Aislinn commented. Christin stared at Kuroki, wide-eyed and tremblign a bit. She moved her mouth like she was speaking, and Edward was sure she was using her vocal chords, but still no sound came out.

"I'm sorry," was all Kuroki said before hugging her. She clung to him for a moment, before turning away and going to Edward. She sobbed into his shirt. No, there was no way he could've died. Yeah, he was old, but it just wasn't possible, especially after being thrown around the yard multiple times by him. Edward rubbed her back and mumbled random nothings to her, saying it was okay, that these things happened. Her chest throbbed in pain and she ground her teeth together.

"Okay, okay, calm down. If you keep that up I won't need a bath later tonight," Edward said as soberly as he could. He felt Christin chuckle a bit, though she remained clinging to him for all she was worth. She grabbed a dry spot on his shirt and wiped her eyes. "Gee thanks…" he said dryly. Christin chuckled again and smiled.

"Aw… someone get me barf bag," Russell drawled. Kelsie smacked him.

"Like you can talk," she scoffed. "Christin, you'll never guess what Russell just asked me," she said eagerly.

Christin cocked her head to the side curiously, putting on a stupid expression.

"Don't you…" Russell started.

"Russell proposed!!" Kelsie squealed. "See, ring and everything?" she thrust out her hand to show off the diamond ring on her finger. Christin grinned and scribbled something in her notebook.

"_OMG, that's so cool! Even though diamonds are so overused…"_ her scribbles read.

"What?! They are not! Diamonds are the most awesome, romantic jewel on the face of the planet!" Kelsie protested.

"_Yeah, if you wanna stick to tradition and crap."_ Her next note read.

"Hey lovebirds, dinner's ready!" Winry announced. Christin quickly scrawled out another message for Kelsie, asking when their wedding was going to be. She forced herself to smile, because if she didn't she would crumble into a soggy, weeping mess. Was death always this unreal? She didn't know… Standing Bear was the second person close to her who had died, the first being Moon Willow. She had never really spoken about her after her death, but she missed her terribly. Her daughter was cute though, barely a year old and being raised by her sister, who had moved from Creta to Amestris several years ago, and husband. She made a mental note to meet that woman some day.

Dinner progressed as smoothly as one could expect it to in the Rockbell household. Roy continually agitated Edward about nothing in particular, who retaliated with comments about him and Riza, who threatened to shoot him with her gun. Russell and Kelsie discussed wedding ideas; Pinako, Katie and Winry yammered on about automail and what they were going to do now that Edward had his limbs back. Alphonse and Kuroki took turns playing with Natalia, Kuroki and Moon Willow's child. Fletcher just sat back and watched everything unfold, infected by the happy vibe. Still, he couldn't help noticing that halfway through the meal Christin got up and left. He reached across the table to read whatever was written on the paper she had placed near her plate. When no one was watching he snuck away and found her.

"Christin, are you okay?" he asked, poking his head through the bedroom door. She sat on the edge of the bed, staring blankly into nothing. She beckoned him inside and patted the place next to her. He obliged and sat down. "You look sick."

"_I feel really awful. I probably just caught a virus or something, but I wanted to sleep so I could get better."_ Her slightly illegible cursive read.

"Do you need anything?" he asked. She smiled and hugged him.

"_You're so sweet. Can you tell Ed to call Marcus for me? He's still staying with Armstrong, and I wanna talk with him, so yeah."_

"I can do that. If you need anything else, just let me know, okay? I'll have someone check on you later," he waved and left.

Christin let her face fall after he had gone and she flopped backwards onto the bed, the cool fabric of the pillow sending shivers down her spine where it touched her face. She felt the tears well up and just let them fall; no one would hear her crying anyway. Was Edward all right? He had found out his teacher had died… learning of two deaths in one day has gotta be rough. She felt slightly guilty for feeling happy for Kelsie and Russell and silently wished Edward would do something similar. She wanted a sense of closure… something to let her know that if this thing with Envy ever blew over she had some sort of future outside of working for the military to pay back her debt. Still… it was kinda hard to picture Edward even considering something like that, and that made her cry even more.

When she calmed down a bit, she pulled the blankets up around her chin. She had gotten very cold all of a sudden and was feeling extremely lethargic. Her head swam and things were growing fuzzy. The last thing she remembered before fading into sleep was hr chest erupting in a spark of pain.

* * *

"Are you going to sleep all day?" Edward asked. He had just finished getting dressed, as he had spent most of the morning in his boxers and a shirt, as was customary for him. Christin had hardly stirred when he first got up, which was definitely odd. Normally she tossed and turned and occasionally threw a pillow or some other nearby object at him. Also, it looked like she hadn't moved at all since when he first woke up. Actually… it looked like she hadn't moved at all from when he came to bed last night.

"You can't stay in bed all day, even if you are sick. Getting up and moving around will help you get better," he said, prodding her gently. Still she didn't move, but he noticed something else… she was even paler than before and she was very cold. Panic and fear tore at his chest as he checked her pulse; it was very shallow and dangerously slow. No, this could not happen again. He wouldn't let it.

"Brother…" Alphonse said a he walked into the room.

"Go get Winry and Granny, now," the blond ordered. Alphonse nodded and rushed out of the room.

"Honestly, Ed, we're in the middle of helping our patient. Can't this wait?" the old woman asked as she was shoved into the room.

"No, it can't," Edward said firmly, looking at her. Pinako set her mouth, quickly understanding the urgency of the matter. Kuroki appeared in the doorway, alerted by Alphonse's frantic running.

"Kuroki or whatever your name is, I need you to help me set up a bed and an IV drip for her," Pinako said sharply, turning to the man. He nodded meekly, not knowing what else to do. "What could've happened?" she mused. Edward picked up Christin and followed Pinako and Kuroki, Winry joining them as she came out of the bathroom looking better than before she went in.

"She mentioned her heart a few days ago, and again yesterday," Edward grunted through supporting her weight.

"Maintenance…" Winry muttered

"Edward… what I said yesterday…" Kuroki started.

"Do you know what's happening to her?" he demanded, eyes flashing.

"Like I said, she was using her powers subconsciously to keep her mechanical heart working. When she lost them, the shock must've been great. She must not have learned to let it function without using her power," he said, shaking his brown hair out of his eyes.

"Speak English!" Edward cried, stomping his foot.

"Her body never adapted to having it inside her. Her power controlled everything and she became too reliant on it," he muttered. "Her body is now reacting to having it function without aid of her power, but because she relied on it so much, things have taken a wrong turn."

"What?" Edward asked shakily.

"She's dying, Edward," Kuroki finally said.

"No… no, I'm not going to risk losing her _again_. She almost died so many times… surely there's a limit!" he burst.

"That's what this is for," Kuroki held up the vial again. "It's to restart her heart. It should be enough to last until she gets her own powers back."

"That'll fix her?" Winry asked.

"Don't talk about her like she's a machine, Winry! She's human just like us!" Edward snapped. The blond woman cringed and he instantly regretted his words.

"It will get her going again, yes," Kuroki nodded.

"Wait, can't you just use that bond-imprint-thing we have?" Edward asked.

"It is void. Now that her powers are sealed, anything she used it for no longer holds. Your bond has been severed," the man replied grimly. He opened the vial and poured the contents into the IV drip. Edward stared as the white stuff flowed from the plastic baggie into her body.

"What will happen after she wakes up?" Pinako asked.

"She will have to learn how to function without the use of her power, meaning she will be bedridden for at least a few weeks," Kuroki sighed.

* * *

Christin sighed angrily. She had been wandering in this grey abyss for _hours_ by now… why hadn't she run into anything? Everywhere she looked, she saw that ugly grey that hung over everything on a rainy day and seeped into peoples' skin, putting them in a foul mood. She felt oddly light inside and her chest didn't hurt anymore, but she also felt empty, like something that should be there wasn't. She continued her endless trek into nothing and eventually came across a figure, balled up on the supposed ground and rocking back and forth.

"**Who are you?"** her thoughts materialized in the air, a shimmery, silvery white statement.

"**You don't remember?"** a dark green reply swam into view above the figure's head. **I'm surprised you've forgotten me already. After all, I did try to take your power."**

"**Envy!! What are you doing here?!"** her reply visualized, the written words dripping much like her voice would be dripping with anger.

"**I don't know anymore… everything's so complicated lately… really, all I want to do is curl up into a ball and fade into nothing…"** Envy stood up as his reply appeared. **"I actually think I might be losing my mind."**

Christin stared at the Homunculus hard. He seemed different somehow… less vibrant than before, and older and more tired looking. He was nothing like the sprightly creature he had been when she had lost her power.

"**I actually considered killing myself, but that wouldn't work as I'm almost immortal. I would just heal and have to repeat the process again and again and again… but you're lucky. If you want to throw away your life, all you have to do is slit your wrists,"** the palm tree impersonator's body shook with unheard laughter.

"**You're right, I do have the easy way out. But for some reason, I just can't die. I've come so close so many times… I wonder how much longer I can keep that up. What would happen to you if you died?"** she asked, approaching him slowly.

"**I honestly do not know. I'm not human, as you may have guessed, so I don't know what awaits me when I finally die. I used to think all my old comrades were foolish for wanting to become human, but know I can see a little bit of why… you have the freedom to find out what happens to you after you die, and the freedom to end your own life."** He walked closer to her, so they stood face to face.** " We Homunculi have to be killed by someone else, sealed in a special transmutation circle… or transmuted into a Gate like what happened back in Germany. But because of Hohenheim's power as an alchemist, something went wrong and I was forced back through the Gate. I should've died that day, but I didn't."**

"**Do you wish you did?"** Christin asked gently, her question a little hazy as it shimmered into view. **"Sometimes I wish I was dead…"**

"**You? But you have so many cool powers and people who care about you,"** Envy scoffed.

"**But I keep hurting those people and abusing my powers. I'm in the wrong and I deserve to die. Then… they can stop worrying about me and get on with their lives. They can't live a normal life so long as I'm alive, even though the Truth said that I was supposed to be born here. I should hate you for destroying my life, but it never started here, so I can't really talk,"** she sighed, looking at the ground.

Envy placed a hand under her chin and tilted her head towards him, staring deeply into her green-brown eyes. Could this girl really be the one he was after? Why did he want her in the first place? What was his goal? Did he even have one anymore? Christin reached up and grabbed his wrist pulling it away from her face and lacing the fingers of her free hand through his.

"**How long have you been alive?"** she asked.

"**About four hundred years, more or less. It's been a living hell…" **he muttered, tensing his fingers a bit. Christin's skin was cold but soft against his. **"Why?"**

"**Just curious… Alphonse told me that you're his and Ed's half brother. Is that true?"** she inquired.

"**You have not seen my true form, have you?" **He asked, tilting his head to the side a bit. Christin shook her head slowly. **"I'll show you,"** he sighed gently and transformed into the form he hated so much because it looked so much like Hohenheim… like the man that ruined his life.

"**You look a bit like Ed,"** she chuckled. Why was she able to maintain a conversation with Envy? Shouldn't she be yelling at him for how much of her life he screwed up? Maybe even beating him up a bit?

"**No, now I look like the pipsqueak,"** Envy corrected morphing into his blond half brother. **"There's something you should know… I'm not myself anymore. I've lost track of everything and don't know what I'm doing anymore. Something else has taken over my body and I can't control it. Would you believe me if I told you that my mind may have snapped?"**

"**I can believe that. After all I've been through, I'm surprised I'm still sane…"** she mused.

"**You're not anymore… you are slowly slipping away too. This place… this void… is somewhere between the real world and the Gate, sort of an in-between you pass through when you go meet the Truth, though you usually go so fast you don't even notice. When someone dies, they go to the Gate. When someone is alive, they stay in the real world. People who lose their minds… we end up here,"** he mumbled, the words small but still readable.

"**I've gone mad?"** Christin asked.

"**Not yet. Only part of you is here, and will remain here until your consciousness is strong enough to support you back in the real world. People go mad here… you see how my entire body is here? That means that I've already lost it. Part of you is transparent, meaning you haven't **_**yet**_** succumbed to madness,"** Envy pointed at her feet. She glanced down and indeed she was only visible above her waist.

"**How sad… it's so sad that such a place exists…"** she whispered, her words barely visible against the grey background.

"**I'm an echo of my former self… the human I used to be,"** Envy sighed.

"**If I go insane… would you wait here for me? I wouldn't want you to be alone…"** she asked.

"**But I'm your enemy! I shouldn't…" **he started.

"**I'd like to get to know your human 'echo' a bit better. Besides, it's just 'if'. If I don't see you again, goodbye Envy,"** she smiled gently. As the grey background washed away, she could've sworn she saw Envy smile back.

* * *

_A/N: some surprising twists even I didn't expect. First off, I never planned for Aislinn and Christin to be twins. I was originally going to kill her off (Aislinn, not Christin) but oh well… and Envy… he's turning into quite a problem… I never expected him to go insane, but I guess I kinda could've seen it coming. Huh…and Christin, what is up with that girl? I swear I'm not trying to kill her off all these times!!! It just happens!!!!! She must really like near-death experiences… masochist…_

_Anywhozit, thanks to everyone who's been reading and especially those who review. Your input is what helps keep this story going. Can you believe I'm up to 40 chapters now? Holy pancakes!!_

_Kelsie, I'm going to give you the FMA anime that has the episodes where Russell and Fletcher first show up so you can get to better know your boyfriend/husband and brother-in-law.__Don't worry, there're no major spoilers in it!_

_Until chapter 41… hey if any of you remember how old Edward and Christin are at this point, would you tell me? I kinda forgot and need to put their ages in the next chapter… I'm such a terrible author! This story has gone out of control and I can't remember my character's ages!!! Oh, I'm so bad!!!! DX_


	41. Dublith

41: Dublith

Another year passed before Christin was able to move well enough to travel. Edward was really glad Envy had left them alone in that time, but still it was odd that he didn't attack and try to take her back now that she was… not as able to fend for herself as before. He had grown accustomed to her not speaking, but missed hearing her voice terribly. Also, something had changed, though he couldn't put his finger on it. She seemed… how should he put it… hollow, almost, though he hated applying that word to her. They were being flown to Dublith by Russell, who opted to take them there more than eagerly. He must've gotten sick of hearing Kelsie prattle on and on about wedding stuff. It was November now; a year and a couple months after Christin lost her voice and powers. Edward was 23 now, she was 22, and he still hadn't proposed. Why was he hesitating? He knew that he wanted to marry her, and he was sure she'd agree, so why was it taking him so long? Maybe he wanted to _hear_ her reply, instead of just watching her nod or write some cheesy way of accepting. If that was the case, he could be waiting for quite a while. As he stepped out of Russell's borrowed airplane-ship-whatever it was called, he instantly wished he was back inside; it had a really cool, no pun intended, air conditioner inside.

"It's so hot here…" Aislinn whined.

"Call when you want a lift back. I gave you the extension to my dorm, right?" Russell asked, brushing his bangs out of his eyes. He fidgeted uncomfortably.

"_Go back before Kelsie hunts you down and drags you back by your hair."_ Christin scribbled before shoving her notebook under Russell's nose. He nodded and climbed back in the plane. _"Say 'hi' to Fletcher for me."_

"You just saw each other this morning," the blond eco-alchemist drawled. She rolled her eyes and smiled. "But seriously, call me. Soon. Please."

"Bye…" Edward sang, waving him off. Russell, defeated, let the plane roar to life and flew away.

"Maybe he shouldn't have asked Kelly Nelly Chan to marry him if he's gonna act like that…" Saru commented as she watched the plane fly away. Christin grabbed the hood of her miniature hoodie and shook her, wagging her finger at her and mouthing that that wasn't nice. "Oh master, I miss your voice!!!" the green haired cat-girl whined, nuzzling against Christin's neck. She smiled gently and held the shikigami. She missed her voice too. Yeah, Aislinn's kinda sounded like her own, but she had a bit of an accent that was verging on Scottish. Funny, she never noticed that before.

"You're not going to act like that if you ask me to marry you, are you?" Aislinn demanded, turning to Alphonse. He jumped and shook his head furiously.

"N-no, if I did that, I wouldn't act like that!!" he said hastily.

"Let's go, I'm starting to bake out here," Edward sighed, holding up a hand to shield his eyes from the glaring sunlight.

He took Christin's hand and led her through Dublith, winding his way to a butcher shop. She stared at it curiously, but trusted him to know what he was doing. While the three (and occasionally four) persons with voices chattered, she let her mind wander. It had been a little over a year since she last heard her own voice. She still used her voice box on the pretext that it shouldn't fall to pieces from disuse and make her voice horribly raspy, but it wasn't the same. What she missed most was singing, the one way she could let her true emotions known with her voice. It didn't irritate her, didn't annoy her, it just made her sad. She had been so quiet and reserved back in that world, hardly ever lashing out or expressing herself with words. Oh, how she regretted not doing that, now that she was not able to speak when she wanted to! She had never, _ever_ gone an entire year without speaking; her usual limit was days before some smartass comment wormed it's way up her throat and out her mouth. It was a mizerable existence, especially since Edward doted on her almost ceaselessly, treating her like a five-year-old. He would hold her hand and guide her around, saying it was 'in case her heart gave her trouble'. Psha!! Trouble her butt. She could handle some piddly little thing like a false heart. Okayy… maybe not without some help, but she was able to move on her own now! She didn't need to have training wheels on for things she already knew how to do. But she just couldn't bring herself to tell Edward to stop doting on her. She sighed pointlessly and picked up a small rock, intending to play hackey-sack with it. She had bounced it twice on her foot before it fell out of range. She picked it up and tried again, this time managing one bounce before accidentally hitting Alphonse in the head. She clamped her hands over her mouth and stared deer-in-the-headlights at him. He picked it up and stared at it, looking at her with an equally confused expression. She averted her eyes and scooted behind Edward. She really wished she had brought her old hackey-sack Hooch-bag with her… it was less painful than a rock.

The door of the shop opening made her jump and inch even more behind Edward, who just cast a quizzical glance at her over his shoulder. She smiled when she saw Aislinn do the same with Alphonse. Maybe they really were related after all, as they seemed to share the same reaction to meeting new people: hang back until introduced and act as scared as possible. A large man with black hair all but oozed through the door, a dirty cleaver in his hand.

"Ed?" he asked in a gruff voice. Christin cringed and stood directly behind him, her fingers latched permanently to the back of his shirt. "Al?"

"H-hi, Sig," Edward greeted the man. "How've you been?"

"Fine, thanks. Who're your friends?" he replied, eyeing the girls.

"Uh… this is Christin Fallbrook-Mustang," the blond relplied, using Christin's legal name, "and her twin sister Aislinn von Lohengrin. They're really good friends of ours."

"Right… so what brings you all the way out here?" the man inquired.

"Brother wanted to visit Teacher," Alphonse answered.

"You two go ahead. Christin and I are gonna explore the town a bit," Aislinn nudged the boys. This was not something she and her sister should intrude on.

"But you don't know where you're going," Alphonse replied.

"Mason can show them around. He's not doing anything of major importance right now anyway. Mason!!" he called inside the shop. A few moments later a second man appeared.

"Hey, Ed, Al! How've you been?" he boomed.

"Better…" Edward grimaced as Mason ruffled his hair.

"Mason, these two ladies want to see the town while the boys go visit Izumi. Go show them around and make sure they don't get lost," Sig ordered. Mason nodded and looked to the girls.

"I'm Mason. I work here in the shop. What are your names?" he asked.

"I'm Aislinn von Lohengrin, and this is my sister Christin Fallbrook-Mustang," Aislinn replied. "Thanks for showing us around."

Christin looked behind her as she and Aislinn left with Mason. Edward turned around and waved silently. She lifted her hand and let a small, sad smile grace her lips.

* * *

"Don't worry Nina. I'll make sure you get better soon…" a soft voice barely above a whisper cooed.

A girl with long brown hair and blue eyes stared blankly into the distance, looking at everything but seeing nothing. She heard his voice, but was not listening. She couldn't. clawed hands picked her up from her spot on the floor and moved her to a large, musty armchair. It smelled of mold and decay, but she didn't notice. Shiny black shoes were put on her feet and again she was moved, this time onto supportive arms.

"It's time for our walk, Nina. It's sunny outside today, your favorite kind of weather," the voice continued. "Maybe if we're lucky, you'll see your big brothers again. Wouldn't that be nice? Where's Alexander? Oh, he's probably resting again. Let's not disturb him."

Nina let herself be carried from the dimly lit room out into blinding sunlight, though she could not squint and wait until her eyes adjusted. A sunhat with a large green bow was placed on her head to match her green dress. That was better. Her limbs ached to move, stiff from disuse, but she couldn't make that feeling go away. She had no control of her body because she had no soul. She was a living doll, though she didn't really 'live' as opposed to 'exist'. She 'ate' and 'played' and 'read books', but really just sat there, limp with lifelessness. She was merely a thing because she had no soul. She could feel it though, a very faint, almost nonexistent, tugging at the center of her body. She knew it was her soul, aching to return to her body as much as she ached for it to return. Her eyes stared at the passerby as her father shuffled through town, chattering aimlessly at her.

"Look, Nina. Ice cream. Would you like some ice cream Nina? We should bring some for Alexander too, you know how he hates to be left out…" that whisper-voice chatted. She envied him, for he was able to move on his own. He still had his soul, however twisted it had become.

"Oh, excuse me," Aislinn said as she bumped into the shrouded figure. "I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was going."

Nina stared at the girl from beneath her sunhat. The tugging in her chest amplified and she blinked, something she hadn't done in quite some time. The girl was staring at them curiously while another who looked exactly like her scribbled something in a small book, which she then shoved under the one who spoke's nose.

"Go tell Mason what flavor you want; he's paying," she snapped. The one who wrote something down moved her mouth quickly like she was speaking. Why couldn't she hear the second girl's voice? Was she mute? The second paused and scribbled something down again.

Nina blinked again. She could feel her soul very close by. She was sure that if she reached out, she might be able to touch it. She tried to move her arms, but still had no control over them.

"Come Nina, let's go. Alexander's waiting for us," the voice came again. Christin scribbled something furiously and shoved her notebook under the cloaked man's nose. "My name's Shou Tucker. This is my daughter Nina."

Nina watched the writing-girl's eyes widen for a moment. She then tugged on the speaking-girl's arm and pointed in a direction, moving her mouth again, rapidly this time.

"Ed and Al know them? You're joking," speaking-girl scoffed. How could she understand writing-girl when she didn't write anything down? That made no sense.

"Ed and Al? as in Edward and Alphonse Elric?" Shou asked. Christin nodded cautiously, eyeing the man. Something was off about him. Why was he wearing a long cloak like that when it was blazing hot outside? Why did he carry his child like that? Couldn't she walk on her own? She looked big enough to have been walking for some time… she turned to Aislinn again, moving her mouth though her thoughts were instantly conveyed through their touch.

"Touch the girl? Why? That sounds creepy," Aislinn replied. Christin stared at her. "Maybe we should tell them… hey Mason?"

"How lucky Nina! Your big brothers are here somewhere, isn't that wonderful? Maybe they can fix you and make you better," the whisper-voice said excitedly. "Can you take me to the Elric brothers?"

Nina watched as writing-girl nodded somberly. Speaking-girl hesitated, but eventually nodded as well. They raveled swiftly through town until they reached a graveyard. She saw two small figures and one large one grow bigger as they approached. The tugging in her chest grew stronger.

* * *

"Hey, what are you doing here?" Alphonse asked when Aislinn ran up to him. "I thought you were out in town."

"We were until we ran into some friends of yours…" she mumbled, glancing back at the approaching group. Christin idly licked her vanilla ice cream cone, obviously not caring who the two strange people were. The shrouded figure slowly trudged up the hill, still carrying his immobile daughter. Mason brought up the rear.

"Who's that?" Edward asked.

"Look Nina. It's your big brother Edward. Do you remember him? Say hello, Nina. Oh look, you big brother Alphonse is here too. Don't be shy…" a familiar whisper-voice babbled.

"Shou Tucker…" Edward gasped, his eyes going wide. Some time ago, he had turned his daughter into a talking chimera. She had died and he then tried bringing her back to life when Alphonse became the Philosopher's Stone. He had succeeded, but hadn't brought back her soul.

"Christin says that you know them. Is that true?" Aislinn asked. The brothers nodded slowly.

"He's a chimera that transmuted his daughter, though it failed in some aspect. The thing in his arms is the result of the transmutation, his daughter Nina. She came back from the dead, but she doesn't have a soul," Alphonse explained.

"That would explain the emptiness I sense inside her… Christin thinks I can fix it, though I'm not sure. I've only had these powers for about a year and I still don't have enough control over them…" Aislinn admitted. Christin walked over and placed her hand on Aislinn's arm. "You'll conduct it? But how? Your powers are sealed!"

"She's talking to you? How?" Edward cut in.

"My power… when she touches me, she can convey her thoughts directly into my brain. That's how I can talk to her without needing to speak," Aislinn blushed pink.

"That's not fair!" Edward whined. He wanted to talk to Christin too, and actually hear her respond.

"Shut up. I can't focus with two people talking at once!" Aislinn snapped. She closed her eyes and focused on Christin.

'_The girl is soulless, but that can be fixed. Just like how I can talk to you like this, I can also get a sense of the Lifestream, however faint it is. I can guide you through what you must do to return her soul, but you'll have to be the one to use your power. I can't do that,'_ Christin said. _'But ask them first if it's okay.'_ Aislinn sighed and turned to the brothers.

"She says that she can help return the girl's soul, but wanted to clear it with you two first," Aislinn reported.

"Well, honestly the whole thing sounds kinda sketchy, but I guess there's no harm in trying. But we can't do that here, it's way too public," Edward sighed. They were the Truth's emissaries, of sorts, so they would probably be able to replace Nina's soul without equivalent exchange. Still, he kinda doubted it. Christin would probably be able to do that, but Aislinn, like she said, hadn't had as much time to learn how to control her powers. Even though Christin would be guiding Aislinn, there was the possibility for a mistake.

"We can go home. No one ever comes by our house, right Nina? We'll be safe there while you get better," Shou whispered excitedly. "I bet Alexander would be happy to see your big brothers again."

Edward sighed slowly as the group of people followed Tucker. That was just sad… a crazy old chimera trying to resurrect his dead daughter. No wonder he failed, even when he was using the Philosopher's Stone. He was a very weak-willed creature, incapable of attaching a soul. Now all he had was a lifeless doll that was barely hanging on to life. He was so caught up in his brooding he jumped a bit when someone wound their arm through his. Christin walked beside him, completely unconcerned about the situation and happily eating her ice cream. He found his mouth watering as he watched; he hadn't eaten a thing since this morning. She glanced up and smiled before taking a very long, purposeful lick.

"Don't mock me…" he grumbled when she waved it in front of his face. He felt her giggle and stared moodily in front of him. He was brooding again when something very cold was shoved into his nose. "Gah! What are you doing?!" he cried, snatching the thing out of her hand.

"_Oh, it's just ice cream. I'm sure you'll survive."_ She wrote. "_You can have the rest."_

"How considerate," he chirped, licking the vanilla treat.

"_Don't worry; this thing will turn out fine, I promise."_ Her next note read.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked, licking some drips off his hand.

"_Just trust me. We can fix the girl. Besides, I get the feeling that that man was somewhat involved with Envy, meaning that what happened really was NOT supposed to happen, meaning it will be easy to fix the girl."_

"You logic is making me dizzy," he sighed. Christin grinned and pulled him down the hill. He cast one last glance over his shoulder at Izumi's gravestone. He blinked hard when he thought he saw her standing near it, Wrath by her side.

"She's good for you. Don't let her go," her voice echoed in his head. He blinked again and she was gone.

* * *

_A/N: whee, Nina's back! I bet some of you probably could've guessed it by now, but I'm going to fix Nina. This little part here is sort of a filler, but not really. (that doesn't make sense) it's where Aislinn learns how to control her powers and also where… something starts to happen to Christin. I'M REALLY SORRY!!! I REALY DON'T INEND FOR SO MUCH BAD STUFF TO HAPPEN TO HER, BUT IT JUST DOES!!!!! Whew, can you say meltdown? I promise I won't try to kill her off again… hopefully._

_We'll see where the characters take the story now. I feel like they're writing this thing, not me. See what they've done?!?!? Aislinn and Christin are twins (which I did NOT plan), Envy's going insane (kinda planned that) and… and… they made me do that stupid 'brothers-sisters hookup' thing!!!!! Gah, I am so ashamed!!!! I can't keep my characters under control…_

_Until chapter 42…_

_Oh, I'm going to try to wrap up the story soon. Maybe in the late forties to early fifties… (Chapters, I mean, not years, like, 2050 or something)maybe... we'll see what they (the characters) decide._


	42. Returning a Soul

42: Returning a Soul

Nina stared blankly ahead, blinking occasionally. The room was unusually bright and there were more people here than usual. Writing-girl picked her up and moved her to the center of the room, setting her on the floor. The stone was cold and clammy aganst her skin.

"Are you sure about this?" speaking-girl asked. She watched was writing-girl nodded. Speaking-girl knelt down in front of her and placed her hands on her shoulders. Writing-girl pressed her fingers to speaking-girl's head and they both closed their eyes.

'_Nina, can you hear me?'_ a voice asked. Nina struggled to say yes, the throbbing in her chest intensifying. _'We're going to bring back your soul. It may hurt, but bear with it, okay? It'll be over soon, I promise. Aislinn, are you ready?'_

'_As ready as I'll ever be…'_ a second voice replied.

The first voice spoke again, _'Okay, just follow my instructions. Close your eyes and clear your mind. Focus on the energy of the Lifestream around you. Now look at Nina, see that color she is.'_

'_She's a soft pink, though it's a bit dull and hard to see…'_ the second voice replied softly.

'_Look around at the Lifestream. Find the threads that are the same color; that is her soul. Gather the threads in front of her.'_ The first voice instructed. Nina felt her soul's tugging grow so sharply pain seared through her entire body. She wanted to cy out in pain, but couldn't. she felt a tear roll down her cheek. She saw a ball of dull pink light in front of her, and behind that speaking-girl and writing-girl glowing a silvery-white. Through all her pain, she thought it was very pretty.

'_I have them all…'_ the second voice sighed anxiously.

'_good, now what you do is let her soul seep into her body a little bit. It hasn't been in her body for quite some time, so it will take a moment to recognize the body as its host. Once that is done, her souls will return to her body and we'll be done.' _The first voice said calmly.

Nina felt the pink thing tickle her body as it felt her. She squirmed a bit when a small thread went through her chest and twitched when it touched her heart. A split second later, all the pink stuff went inside her and she was blinded by a flash of light.

"Nina, can you hear me?" Shou asked softly when the light died. For a moment he panicked, fearing his daughter would be lost again, but when the light enveloped him it filled him with an almost unbelievable calmness that it would be okay.

"D-daddy?" she croaked. Her voice was thin and raspy, but there all the same. Clawed hands wrapped around her, hugging her tightly.

"Oh Nina, you're back. You're really back…" Shou breathed. Edward released the breath he didn't know he was holding and saw Alphonse do the same.

"Hi big brother," she croaked at Edward and Alphonse. Aislinn screeched in pain.

"Ow! What are you doing?!" she cried, stepping away from Christin. She pulled out her notebook and wrote something down.

"_I transferred everything I know about controlling my power to you. Now you'll know what to do; you'll just have to do it."_ Her message read.

"That hurt!" Aislinn whined.

"_We learn by what we suffer."_ Christin wrote.

"what are you, a fortune cookie?" Aislinn snapped, clutching her head.

"Fortune cookie… that sounds delicious…" a voice giggled. Envy popped in through an open window. "Didja miss me?"

"Envy! What are you doing here?" Aislinn cried, fear biting at the edge of her heart. He had killed her once… was he here to try again?

"I came to get what I want, like any sensible person would," he replied, another giggle seeping into his voice. "I'll pay for it, by letting you all live."

Christin slowly approached him and placed her hands on his face, turning it towards her. His eyes were wide and slightly dilated, and he kept wearing a really stupid grin. So he had lost his mind… how sad.

"Christin, get away from him!" Edward snapped. He sucked in a breath sharply when she shook her head 'no'. did she want to die?

"See, she even came willingly. What do you say to that, Fullmetal pipsqueak?" Envy chuckled. He wrapped an arm around Christin's waist, pulling her close to him. She struggled to get away. "Now that you've lost your voice and your powers, there's nothing you can do to save yourself."

"Envy, let her go!" Aislinn cried. She felt her power well up around her, a surge of energy that would have to be released if it didn't dissipate.

"You know what? Since I'm such a nice guy, I'll tell you where we're going so you can try to save her. We'll be in the underground city again, just because it's so cliché," he cackled as he left.

"I'm going to kill him one of these days…" Edward snarled.

"big brother, you can do it," Nina smiled up at him. "I know you can." He smiled at her and looked out the open window. Were they really that stupid as to leave it open? Yes, because the room still carried the stench of mold and decaying furniture. Closed, they all would've suffocated by now because of the stench. He ground his teeth and glared.

This would be the last time Envy took Christin away from him.

* * *

"We're going to stay here until your lover comes to save you. Isn't that a fun idea?" Envy giggled as he set Christin down on the ballroom floor. She didn't do anything. "It's just you and me now. I got rid of all the others; they were just in my way. We can do whatever we want until the obligatory hero comes to save you… and dies in the process."

Christin glared at him. How dare he threaten Edward? As if Edward would allow himself to be killed by this insane creature again. He'd die trying to knock off her beloved alchemist, and if not… she would kill Envy herself. Oh, how good it would feel to say that. If only she had her voice…

"Now I want you to stay here like a good little girl and behave yourself. No running off, okay? It's wouldn't do if the pipsqueak couldn't find you because you were wandering around the city," Envy cooed before walking away.

She stared after him, feeling really awful. He had lost his mind, poor creature. She knew that she should be angry with him for everything he had done, but she just couldn't bring herself to feel that emotion. It was sad that he had gone insane. But considering his life, she couldn't blame him. Being brought back to life by his father, then being abandoned and left in the hands of some overbearing woman who just so happened to be his mother, feeling inferior to Edward and Alphonse because his father loved them more… she was surprised he lasted this long before going mad. She would've succumbed a long time ago.

She stood up and smoothed out her clothes, pulling down her shirt, as it had ridden up to about her stomach. The room was empty except for her. She new she should be scared, but she wasn't. she didn't know what Envy would do to her now that he was insane…

Instead, she spread her arms and began spinning in a circle. Faster and faster she went until the surroundings were so blurred she didn't remember where she was. She faltered a bit and almost fell over, but her foot moved in time and stopped her from falling. And so she began to dance around the room in an endless cycle, spinning in circles. It was an escape. Her life had been so complicated and painful lately… maybe if she just tuned everything out long enough… things would go back to normal.

She would go back home, wherever that truly was, and continue her pathetic existence. She would get her voice back and maybe her powers too. She would grow up into the kind of woman she always wanted to be: the kind that took no crap from anyone but still had friends. She'd get a job drawing manga and become famous the world over. Maybe she'd get married and start a family too, and raise her offspring as lovers of manga and anime. She felt a smile spread across her face as she danced into oblivion.

* * *

"Are you ready yet?" Edward snapped. Aislinn flinched but nodded. They had taken a few days to let Aislinn get used to controlling her powers so destroying Envy would be easier. Edward clapped and transmuted his jacket, which had snagged on a chain link fence and torn. In a flash of blue light it was repaired. He pulled it on roughly, nearly ripping it again.

"Brother, calm down," Alphonse said.

"How would you feel if Aislinn was captured for the twentieth time?" the blond snapped. "Sorry…" he added gently.

"It's okay. I'd probably be acting the same as you," Alphonse grinned. He walked over to his brother and pulled him into a hug. He felt Edward relax immensely. Poor guy; he was really upset about this. A few moments later he heard sniffing.

"I'm terrible!" Edward sobbed. "I can't keep her safe for more than five minutes before something bad happens! I try and I try to make things okay but everything starts to fall apart at some point!"

"it's okay. Once we get rid of Envy everything should calm down," Alphonse said soothingly.

"no, it's not! It's not okay! I can't keep doing this… I can only bounce back so many times!" Edward cried into his brother's shoulder. "I don't know what'll happen if I lose her again… she's almost died so many times and I feel responsible because she depends on me so much and I can't support her enough!"

Alphonse shared a pained look with Aislinn. They had come so far from when they had first met Christin…

* * *

"Brother you're almost twenty. I really think you should think about settling down," Alphonse said.

"I don't need to. I'm fine as it is," Edward sniffed. They had been driving for about an hour now because Edward had wanted to check out a rumor that was rooted in a town an hour and a half away by car. It had been false and now the blond was in a bad mood.

"You say that, but I wonder if you mean it," Alphonse grinned wryly from the backseat.

He hadn't been here long, but he could sense Noa's affection for his brother even way out here in the middle of nowhere. He liked Noa because she reminded him of Rose. What bugged him was Edward refused to so much as look at her. And he was right too. Edward would be twenty in a few years, the age most young men at least had a romantic prospect. But with that whole ordeal with the Thule society he didn't blame him for not wanting to get settled right away. They were still recovering from that awful war that they had started. He felt his cheerful expression falter a bit. Because of their mistakes, so many people had suffered, including themselves. Edward probably suffered the most; he sacrificed so much for Alphonse, and even after their most recent adventure was still schlepping about with automail. He, of all people, deserved to be happy.

"What about Noa?" he asked.

"What about her?" Edward asked in a very nonchalant yet obviously being so manner.

"Maybe… just maybe… you'd consider her," he suggested, feeling awfully guilty at being put up to it by Noa, who lacked the courage to talk to the blond herself. He didn't want to interfere with other people's romantic lives; he had his own nonexistent one to worry about. Sure, there were plenty of nice girls here, but after a while they all started to blur together into one big mass of similarity. They looked the same, spoke the same, walked the same, and even dressed the same. They gossiped about the same things as every other girl, and did the same things like work or school.

Considering what he had been through, life was rather mundane.

Edward sighed. Why was Alphonse bringing up Noa at a time like this? She was helping them track down that ludicrous bomb, nothing more. Perhaps it was a way of retribution for using him earlier that year. Either way, something about her bugged him. Moreover, this was not a time for him to be thinking of women; the weight of that war had left him so downtrodden sometimes it hurt just to wake up in the mornings. Yet every day he got up and dragged himself around, trying very hard not to let it dwell on him too much. It was in the past now and there was nothing he could do about it except move forward.

"Consider her as what?" he asked, trying to keep an eye on the road. He knew how to drive, but well… he wasn't very good, to be completely honest. He heard Alphonse give an exasperated sigh.

"God, brother, she likes you. As more than a friend," Alphonse grumbled.

"What the hell gave you that idea?!" Edward cried, feeling his ears grow hot.

"She told me and asked me to ask you to start considering her!" Alphonse replied hotly. "Brother, she's in love with you. Can't you see that?"

"Believe me, Al, the _last _thing I need right now is a messy relationship. Women are just too much trouble," he grumbled, turning around to glare at his brother. Not two seconds later someone honked their horn at him. He turned back around and made the car turn a sharp left… right into a tree.

"Ow… thanks Brother… just what I always wanted…" Alphonse hissed, wiping fresh blood off his cheek. Edward cracked his neck and began wriggling out of the driver's seat. His head throbbed where it had hit the steering wheel and his entire torso ached. "Death by idiot driver."

"Aw, shut it…" Edward groaned, massaging his neck. And so they began a perpetually silent walk back to Munich, where their apartment was. And surprise surprise, in drops the one person who would make their lives the most wonderful living hell they could've imagined.

* * *

"But you've come so far, Brother. Do you remember what she was like when we first met her? She hardly spoke to anyone and was very unsociable and absolutely hated everything. Neither of us could understand half the things she talked about when she did speak, and that just made her more introverted. Yeah, I got through to her on some level, but it wasn't enough. Remember that fight she and Noa got in? How she banged you up pretty well and in return got a slap in the face? Look at where you are now: she smiles and laughs so much more and she's much more open with herself. She's comfortable expressing her emotions around others because of _you._ _You _changed her, Brother," Alphonse soothed. "I'm sure that if it wasn't for you, she would've killed herself a long time ago."

Edward sniffled and hiccupped. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried so much. Slender arms wrapped around the blond alchemist's torso and squeezed comfortingly.

"Don't be sad big brother. I know you can save her," Nina mumbled. His golden eyes rested on the resurrected child, brought back by Aislinn… because Christin had guided her. Even when she was quite literally powerless, she still had unbelievable calm and an uncanny _knowing_ of things. She had saved him from the Truth _and_ given back the limbs he spent four years trying to recover. She was a 'god', a Kali'rah… a direct connection to the Truth, and possibly the closest thing to a real god. No, that wasn't right. If alchemists were close to a god, then she truly was one. No that wasn't right either… she was…

What was Christin to him? As he pondered this, wiping warm tears off his face, that haunting dream he had been having so often, especially recently, floated into his brain. It was a still image of Christin. She was wearing a white dress and had a genuine smile plastered on her face. The way the sun was shining and how those stupid cherry blossoms were falling, oddly enough in a circular pattern around her head, only one thing came to his mind.

She was an angel.

He smiled and ground his teeth together.

"This is the last time I'm going to lose her," he announced firmly.

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Ed?" Sig asked.

"Well, as Christin would probably phrase it: 'I haven't the slightest idea what the fuck I'm doing. I just know it'll work out somehow.' I just have this gut feeling that this will be the last time Envy takes a breath," the blond replied. Aislinn stuffed her hands in the pockets of her jacket.

"We leaving or not?" she asked.

"What?" Edward responded stupidly.

"We're coming with you, of course," Alphonse added.

"No you're not. She's my girlfriend and my responsibility," Edward retorted.

"But she's _my_ sister," Aislinn sneered. "And according to Al, she's his future sister-in-law. So there," she stuck her tongue out at Edward.

"All right, but if you die I ain't paying for your funeral, Aislinn. Only Al's," Edward jeered.

"As long as I can play too," she grinned.

* * *

_A/N: did you like the little bit i put in there about what happened before he brothers met Christin? i liked it. getting close to the end here. The next four chapters, maybe? Depends…I really hate the fact that I had to cut out a lot of things because my stupid characters took over. Like when Ed and Christin first make love, that wasn't going to be at Pinako's house. It was supposed to be back in Creta. And Aislinn, well, I was going to kill her off a while ago, but she's just so tenacious like that and just won't die. I'm kidding, I love Aislinn. It's Christin who won't die. I mean, you'd think she'd just give up trying to live after a while, you know? And I was going to have her captivity-princess thing go longer than it did…oh well… some really heart wrenching stuff in the next chappy, where Ed and Christin are reunited (again). I'm getting all teary just thinking about it. Anyways, it's going to get a bit sadder before things get better. _

_I told you I'd give this story a happy ending, didn't I?!?!?! Really, didn't I? I don't remember…_

_Oh well… until chapter 43… I will continue to gripe about how my muscles are stiff from moving our old TV to make room for our new flat screen._

_Oh yeah! Movin' on up in the world of technology!!!_

_Yeah, see you in ch. 43._


	43. Shatter

43: Shatter

Christin hummed to herself as she drew. She couldn't hear it out loud, but liked feeling the vibrations in her throat. It was comforting and provided a sense of security. She dipped her fingers in the bucket of black paint next to her and proceeded to drag her fingertips across the polished floor. This room was familiar, though she couldn't' remember why. Maybe she had seen it in a movie or something. Movie… she got up, wiped her hands on her black dress (the paint wouldn't show up so why bother using a towel or something?) and padded to the far end of the room. She searched through a large stack of DVD's until she found the one she wanted. No one would be dropping by to visit her, and Envy didn't mind when she blasted the sound system: no one ever came down here except Robin and Envy.

"I really can't believe that happened to her… she seemed so strong…" Robin muttered.

"Do you feel sorry for her?" Envy giggled. "If you do, then you should feel sorry for me too. Because we're in the same boat, although she doesn't look like it. Don't you see? She thinks this is the world she grew up in. that's why you had to bring all that foreign technology here to keep her satisfied."

"Like you can talk. You've changed completely from when I first met you, Envy. What happened to that vengeful Homunculus I once knew?" Robin mumbled dryly.

"He's dead," Envy grinned, "He died a long, long time ago!" he threw his head back and laughed. "If you want to go see him, you'll have to die too!!"

Robin silently slipped away from the maniacal creature, which stood there laughing his head off. He didn't mind that Envy had gone insane; what ticked him off was how his beloved Aislinn had turned out… well, he did bring her back safely, so he was satisfied. For now, anyway. Loud, dramatic music blared in his ears. Oh, how he wished he hadn't given her that surround sound system… she was watching a stupid pirate move for the millionth time in two days. He really hoped she'd snap out of this soon; he hated seeing her so happy when it wasn't even reality she was living in anymore, just a stupid fantasy world… a recreation of times gone by. She had even cut her hair in the style that it used to be: short and layered. He had had to find an object called a 'flat iron', which she used to make her hair impeccably straight. When she first used it, he thought she was going to burn herself. He glanced over his shoulder one last time before leaving the room. Envy was curled up on the floor, still laughing, and Christin had balled up on the large sofa he had brought, the stupid pirate movie playing in the background. Although he had to admit, this 'Jack Sparrow' character was quite interesting…

* * *

"**You came,"** Envy's deep green words materialized against the smoky grey background.

"**You waited,"** Christin's silvery reply came. **"Honestly, I didn't think you would."**

"**Neither did I, to be honest,"** Envy said.

"**You're honest?"** Christin asked with mock surprise. **"Can you show me your true form again?"**

"**Why?"**

"**Because I like seeing it. You look much nicer when you look like that,"** she smiled softly.

Envy, compelled by a sudden urge to oblige, swiftly morphed into his caramel haired form. He looked down at Christin, who only came up to about his chest, give or take a few inches.

"**Are you sure you don't want me to turn into the pipsqueak?"** he asked.

"**No… one of him's enough. And it's not nice to call someone a 'pipsqueak'. How would you like it if I called you 'behemoth' or something?" **she asked, grinning.

"**I wouldn't like that at all,"** Envy replied. He sat down on the 'floor' and cradled his head in his hands.

"**Are you okay?"** Christin's silver words danced before his eyes.

"**I'm sorry,"** he mumbled, the green words very small.

"**What?"** she asked.

"**I'm sorry. I ruined your life because I was selfish and greedy. People like you… you can just kill things like me. You don't need a circle or something, you can just eliminate us. I suppose that's why I tried to get rid of you. I was scared that you'd find the Elric brothers and team up against something like me. You know that they transmuted their mother, right?"** he rambled.

"**Yes, I know. Alphonse told me,"** she nodded, sitting next to him.

"**Well… because they were able to survive the transmutation, they were marked as really strong alchemists. He killed Greed a while ago, and then they all started to drop like flies. Lust was killed, and Sloth. Pride was killed by your father, Mustang. He lost his eye for it and nearly died. I killed the pip… Edward. I stabbed him through the stomach, but… his brother brought him back to life at the cost of his own. Then Edward, trying to be all noble… he transmuted himself to get his brother back and we wound up on the other side of the Gate. I'm not exactly sure what happened to Wrath and Gluttony, but I felt them when I came back here… when that fool Robin transmuted your twin. I didn't know about her until she was a teenager, and I tried to have her killed in a train accident. It was shortly after that that I went to the other side. I guess she managed to survive the crash because that bastard brought her back as a creature like me…"**

"**Res est sacra miser,"** Christin mumbled.

"**What?"** Envy asked.

"**It's Latin for 'a sufferer is a sacred thing'. I made lots of free time for myself back in that world, so I tried to learn a dead language,"** she admitted. **"The farthest I got was a bunch of random wise quotes."**

"**Is that what you were like, back in that world?"** Envy asked softly.

"**Yeah, I was a real oddball… sometimes I even felt out of place amidst my friends… it was awful. I had tried so hard to find a niche for myself, a place I could truly be **_**me**_**, but… I guess it's all in vain now,"** she sighed. **"Hardly anyone knows what I'm talking about, even Ed and Al after what… three, no… four years? I honestly don't remember how long I've been here anymore; it seems like such a long time."**

"**You didn't much notice the passage of time. Maybe because you were enjoying life to much to notice something like that?"** Envy inquired.

"**Now that you mention it… my life has gotten really interesting since I came to this world. Before, all I would do is get up, go to school, come home, and desperately wish that my life was more than a miserable nonexistent existence. Then… I come here and I start taking everything for granted…"** she chuckled dryly. **"I'm the worst."**

"**I guess we're both screwed up…"** Envy quipped.

"**What were you like when you were a human?"** she inquired so sincerely he almost forgot to reply.

"**Not much different than I am now. I was hot-blooded and headstrong and I had a general dislike of everything. Then I got sick, poisoned by mercury. I realized that I could've done better. I could've been less trouble for my parents. I figured it was god's way of saying I fucked up big time. But then… shortly after I died, I was brought back to life as this horrible beast. Hohenheim should've just let me die and left me for dead. It would've saved so many people so much trouble…"** Envy said bitterly. Christin wiped his cheek with her thumb and he realized he had started crying.

"**Caeca est invidia; envy is blind. You wanted so bad to have a sense of belonging… you just wanted someone to care that you existed. Because you wanted that so badly, you turned on the first person you could've: Edward. He had gotten everything you wanted, and you hated him for it, is that right?"** she asked gently, cupping his face in her hands. **"Crede quod habes, et habes. You only needed to believe that you still had that, and you would've found it."**

"**You're so insightful… I still don't understand why you're being so kind to me after all I put you through…"** Envy grumbled, looking at the smoky grey floor.

"**It's harder to be nice than it is to be mean. One can put another down so easily, they only need to find a flaw; kindness is much harder. One must look beyond what they see… look past the flaws and mistakes and find that small piece of good within the other. Because people were mean to me back in that world, I decided to not be mean. There are far too many people who are quick to judge and the world is filled with deceit and hatred. I want to be someone who finds the good in people and makes others see it too,"** she smiled gently.

"**Can you see good in me?"** Envy asked.

"**Sure I can. I know that underneath all your desires and sins there is something good inside you, for evil cannot exist without the presence of good, especially so in humans. You were human once, so the rule applies to you,"** she replied.

"**no, stop it,"** Envy said firmly, his green words sharp against the grey surroundings. **"I can't let you keep talking to me like this. I'm supposed to be the bad guy; you should be screaming your head off at me, telling me how much you hate me for ruining your life and the lives of those around you!"** he barked, standing up and walking in circles.

"**I don't hate **_**you**_**, Envy, I hate what you did. No matter how much you want to be loved, it's no excuse to wreck what others have,"** she answered.

"**I… wanted to be loved?"** he asked uncertainly. Was that it? The reason he acted the way he did… it was because he wanted to be loved?

"**I think so,"** she nodded. **"…and that's what makes you human."**

* * *

Christin woke up and rubbed her eyes. What an odd dream she had had… dancing unicorns who sang Vampire Weekend's 'A-punk'… definitely odd. Saru was curled up on the coffee table in front of her. Ah, that explained where the song was coming from. She glanced at the massive TV screen in front of her and groped around for the remote. How odd… she hardly ever fell asleep while watching a movie.

"I wonder when school will start again…" she mumbled, sitting up and stretching. "this vacation is dragging on forever… but I suppose if there's a plumbing and an electricity problem, they can't really educate people until it's fixed."

"Christin…" Envy's voice rang out in the massive and mostly empty room.

"Yes?" she called back. Envy appeared at the far end of the room. She could just barely make out the motion of him beckoning her towards him. She stood up, wobbled as her leg was asleep, and trotted up to him. "did you need something?"

"I feel like dancing," he stated simply. "May I have this dance?"

"Of course you may," she smiled a bit, curtsying. "Saru, play that song from 'Anastasia', the December one."

"Okay master!" the blue-eyed shikigami chirped.

She found the preferred song and let it play, making it so it would repeat automatically. She watched as her master and Envy twirled around the room. It was not as good as when her master danced with Edward, but it was nice all the same. The poor girl had been through so much lately… she deserved a small sliver of happiness. Sadness inundated the small creature; Edward would be so unhappy when he saw her master like this… not just dancing with his sworn enemy, but the state she was in. It would break his heart. She drew her knees up under her chin and wrapped her arms and tail around them. Everyone had suffered immensely because of that green haired thing… hushed footsteps caught her attention and she looked up.

"Marcus!!" she squeaked. "what are you doing here?"

"I came ahead of the others to check things out. How're things?" he replied.

"Not good… my master…" she trailed off, glancing at the dancing pair as they glided across the paint streaked floor. "She's broken."

"Broken? What do you mean?" he asked, trying to keep his voice low. "how is she broken?" the look on the shikigami's face led him to believe that whatever had happened, it was not good.

* * *

Edward snuck through Central, Aislinn and Alphonse close on his heels. He had called Marcus and asked him to go survey the 'battlefield'. The trio crept up to the old church Edward had first used to get to the underground city. He transmuted a door that led to the tunnels, a sense of déjà vu taking over. The last time he had done this… he had almost died. He gnawed on his bottom lip as they descended into the darkness, emerging in a strange area covered in severely overgrown plants that draped themselves over crumbling statues and other structures.

"you don't look so well," Aislinn stated gently.

"Well, to be honest, I don't feel so well either…" the blond mumbled, pressing a hand to his stomach. He was starting to feel sick.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Brother?" Alphonse asked.

"I don't _want to_, Al…" he swallowed hard, "I _have to._"

"it's not going to do you any good if you make yourself ill with worrying, Ed. We'll stop for a bit and let you regain your composure," Aislinn nodded somberly. She herself was feeling a little anxious. She was going to face Envy… the thing that had ruined the lives of so many people. It scared her, but she had to face him. She was brought out of her musing by a retching sound. "I guess I spoke too soon…" she mumbled as she watched Edward wipe his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Let's go. Sitting here won't do anything," he announced.

"Guys, I found you!" Marcus called as he crested a flight of stairs.

"Marcus. How'd it go; did you find her?" Edward asked quickly.

"I did, but you're not gonna like it," he reported. Edward stomach clenched and he ground his teeth together.

"I don't care. I'm going to save her and get rid of that stupid Homunculus for good," he hissed, storming past the tall man.

"Did something happen to her, Marcus?" Aislinn questioned.

"Yeah… but I want you all to see for yourselves. I don't want to tell you," he replied, angling his head so his eyes were hidden by his shaggy grey hair.

As the four descended further into the city, Edward became increasingly ill. They stopped multiply times because he kept retching. That bad feeling in his gut just refused to go away. Not only that, but it grew stronger as they came closer to that stupid ballroom. His heart was hammering so fest he feared his ribcage would be broken if he didn't calm down, and his pulse resounded in his head. Aislinn cried out in pain and dropped to her knees.

"Aislinn?!" Alphonse asked.

"Oh my god… no… no, please, that can't happen!" she mumbled, clutching her head and shaking it slowly. She stood up quickly and bolted, the three men following her.

"Aislinn, what's wrong?!" Marcus called. Oh wait… he knew. She would be able to sense what happened to Christin through her powers…

* * *

Christin was painting again. She was kneeling on the floor and staring blankly at the image that had formed. She wasn't consciously aware of what she was painting, so the end result was a bit shocking to her. It was a man's face, his expression a rather sour one. He glared at her with eyes that should be an enchanting golden color. Hair that was supposed to be a brilliant blond fell into his face, a single lock flying upwards from his scalp. The rest was tied back in a braid. Who was this? She felt like she should know his name, but none came to mind. She herd the doors bang open, but didn't bother to look up. It was probably Envy again. He was here quite a bit, visiting her. It was nice, as her friends kept forgetting to drop by. Slender arms were thrown around her shoulders.

"Oh, you're alive!" a voice cried. "What? I'm Aislinn, don't you remember me?"

Aislinn? No, that name was not familiar to her. She looked up into a tear stained face. Oh, did her reflection come out of the mirror?

"Christin, what's wrong? Why are you looking at us like you don't know us?" Alphonse asked.

But she didn't. She wasn't familiar with any of these strangers.

"Aislinn, what's wrong with her?" Edward pressed. She stood up, wiped her eyes, and faced the alchemist. How could she tell him?

"Ed… I'm really sorry…" she muttered, bending her arms at 90 degree angles and then thrusting them downward. A second later, millions of tiny white flecks shimmered into view, floating around the room aimlessly.

"I don't understand. What are these?" he asked, reaching out to touch a floating speck.

"It's…" she stalled, taking in a deep breath. "It's her mind, Edward."

"What?" he asked shakily. "Her mind…?"

"Ed… she's lost her mind. She's not really here anymore," Aislinn continued.

"Lost her…" his heart almost stopped beating. "do you mean to tell me… that she's gone mad?" when Aislinn nodded, tears running down her cheeks, his stomach plunged through the floor. Christin was insane… she'd lost her mind… that meant she wouldn't recognize him… nor remember all that they had been through… all they shared.

As salty tears cascaded down his cheeks, he felt his heart shatter into a million pieces.

* * *

_A/N: oh geez, almost crying here…okay, so the big battle that ends most fantasy storied in which the hero vanquishes the villain is coming up next._

_Well, I did not see that whole thing with Envy coming up. I mean, who would've thunk that that cold, heartless bastard would actually show a scrap of humanity? Whew…_

_Okay, I SWEAR this is the lat bad thing I plan on making Christin go through!!!! Actually, I was going to put the part where she goes crazy in there a bit earlier (around the Princess Princess chapter, somewhere in that little sub-arc) but it works just as well here, towards the end._

_Oh my gawd, can you believe that in a few more chapters, this story will be over?!?!?!?!?! I can NOT believe it… and I'm writing it!!! But I promise things will get better… does anyone actually read this stupid author's note?_

_Until chapter…44(I lost count for a moment there)…_


	44. Dies Irae Part 1

44: Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) Part 1

"So glad you could come," a voice echoed in the room. "It was starting to get lonely in here with the two loons as my only company."

"Robin…" Aislinn growled. What she had ever seen in this man, she no longer knew. T disgusted her to think that at one point in her life, she and that man had been lovers. Thinking about it now, she felt dirty and violated, though Christin had more reason to feel like that. After all, she had been raped by that man; Aislinn had actually submitted willingly. She also felt stupid for letting herself be used. Power simmered around her, threatening to go wild if it wasn't released.

"You just don't know when to give up, do you?" Edward hissed. He was so angry that his nails were starting to dig into the palms of his clenched fists. He felt something warm trickled down his hands, but ignored it. He was tempted to clap and transmute his arm, but that would not be wise, as it was no longer automail and making a bone blade would probably really hurt. Of all times to not have automail…

"Actually, I do. I gave up quite some time ago," he said, tossing his head snootily. "I just wanted to ride along for a little while." He grinned and watched the blond man's anger grow, but out of the corner of his eye, he saw something intriguing.

"Remember me?" Aislinn spat when he finally looked at her.

"What? Who are you and why do you look like my beloved Aislinn?" he demanded.

"That's where you're wrong, Robbie, dear," she cooed dangerously, using her old nickname for him. "I am Aislinn, and that," she pointed to Christin, "is my twin sister."

"Impossible," the officer scoffed. He reached into his belt and pulled out the gun he always kept hidden there, cocking it as quietly as he could behind his back. "you're lying!" he raged, whipping it out and firing several rounds of shots. He heard a clap and in a flash of blue light a wall appeared, blocking the bullets.

"Don't think you can get rid of us that easily," Alphonse growled. "We can take him; you try to help Christin," he said to Edward. The blond stared at his younger brother for a moment. When did he grow up… and when did he get so manly? In some respects, he was more grown up than Edward himself. Some example he was setting, huh? He nimbly dodged another set of bullets as he dashed for his lover, blue and white light flashing in the corner of his eye.

* * *

Christin gazed up at her visitor. He looked like the man in her painting! Odd… her memory was never _that_ good… and she had never seen this man before in her life! What was going on? He crouched down in front of her and grabbed her shoulders in a firm but gentle grasp.

"Christin, I need you to listen to me," he said, turning his golden eyes into her hazel ones. "I need you to snap out of it; we need you. There's only so much we can do by ourselves. Aislinn can barely use her powers and Al and I can only do so much with our alchemy… you're probably one of the most powerful people on the planet right now. Please… come back to me."

He scanned her face, desperately hoping for some trace of sanity left inside her. Her calm, albeit confused expression showed none. He shook his head and tried again.

"Don't you want all this to end? All this pain and suffering that everyone's going through… that I'm going through? You have no idea how much it hurts me to see you like this… I miss the bratty girl I once knew. I miss fighting and yelling at you… and the way you swear at the most stupid things… I miss your pop-culture references and the way I don't really get what you're talking about… I miss being near you and hearing your voice…" he sighed and let his grip loosen a bit.

Luckily enough, Alphonse and Aislinn were keeping Robin occupied and Envy was nowhere to be seen… yet. He didn't know how much more time he had to get through to her before he would be needed in the fight. God… what else could he do in hopes of jogging her memory?

Christin stared at the man kneeling in front of her. He was upset, that much was clear. But the things he was telling her made no sense. Looking into his fiery golden eyes, it was almost as if he was in love with her. That was impossible, though. No one liked her enough to love her. She was just there… a random body that would eventually die alone because no one cared. If this man was trying to make her happy, he wasn't doing a very good job. And that fight going on behind him… what was that about? Oh, nothing made sense anymore… she brought her hands up to the man's face and caressed it. He was trying so hard to do whatever he was attempting… she shifted her weight until she was almost on his lap, with her legs on either side of his. She pulled his face close and brushed her lips against his. He moved his hands around her waist and pulled her in even closer, pressing his lips against hers more and even gliding his tongue across her bottom lip. She could taste his passion… his fire… he truly loved her. Sooner than she would've liked, he pushed her away.

"Christin, I need you to come back. I can't live like this," he admitted. He pushed her off his lap and stood up. "I love you; don't ever forget that."

"Ew, how adorable," Envy's voice cooed.

"Come at me, Envy; I'm ready," Edward challenged. He clapped and touched the floor, transmuting a large portion into a small sword. It was the best he could do without his automail.

"If you insist…" the Homunculus grinned, morphing his arm into a blade and charging.

* * *

Christin sat on the floor, dazed. What had happened? Why did she kiss that stranger? That wasn't like her at all… she raised a hand to her lips, which tingled deliciously. Her tongue flecked over them; she could still taste him. She looked up and saw him fighting Envy, who kept giggling like mad. Her eyes flicked to the other fight. The man with grey hair kept producing more and more guns and firing at her replica and her companion. Someone tugged on her arm, making her stand. It was a man that looked a bit like her and a bit like the one who kept shooting.

"We have to go. You can't stay here if you're still powerless," he instructed. Did she know this man? He seemed familiar… what was he doing here? Didn't he know that if he got caught in the crossfire between Robin and Alphonse and Aislinn, or Edward and Envy he might very well die? Silly Marcus…

"This is getting boring. Let's liven things up a bit, Rob," Envy giggled, snapping something around Edward's head. He reached up and felt a cold device that was clamped firmly around his skull. He looked to Alphonse and saw a similar device. Aislinn also wore one, though she struggled to remove it.

"Can't get it off, lady. It's remote activated," the officer sneered. She glared daggers at him and suddenly found her body moving on its own. Much against her will, she charged for Marcus.

"Marcus, look out!!" she cried, desperately fighting the strange device. She gasped as she ran him through with a blade of her powers. Christin watched wide eyed as Aislinn then aimed the white and blood-stained armament at herself and forced it through her own abdomen. She screamed no, although no one could hear her but herself. Why? Why did Marcus and Aislinn have to be hurt? She turned to Robin, who was laughing as he controlled Alphonse.

"Save them if you can, princess! By the time you get your powers back, they'll be long gone!" Envy cackled.

"Brother…!!" Alphonse wailed. "Stop it!"

"It's not me, Al!" Edward cried, striking again at his brother. No matter what he did, his body would not listen to him. He heard the sound of something solid puncture flesh and grit his teeth.

"Ah…" Alphonse whined. He had just pierced Edward's right shoulder with a sword. "No… no, stop that! Stupid body… listen to me!" he cried as Edward's arm was severed. The blond unleashed a bloodcurdling howl of pain.

Christin sunk to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. This was all her fault. She was making them suffer again… dammit, why wasn't she able to do anything?! Why did things turn out this way?! She kept screaming at Robin, at Envy, but they couldn't hear her. No one could. Why did Edward and Alphonse have to get involved like this? Why Edward, who had already suffered so much… and Alphonse who had come so close to dying so many times? It just didn't make sense… she scooted over to Marcus, whose blood soon soaked through her dress. She smoothed his damp hair out of his face and kissed his forehead. Why did Marcus have to hurt? He played no part in this. Why should he have to die?

"M-mom… it's really cold…" he gasped. She hugged him close and fresh tears streamed down her face. He was dying and there was nothing she could do. "D-don't be sad… this is h-how it is supposed t-to be… I'll be f-fine…"

No, she screamed mentally. No, don't he dare give up so easily! He was her child and because of that he wouldn't give in to death so easily! Look at how many times she had come close… she was still alive; he should live too! He deserved so much more than this pitiful suffering… he was innocent. When she pulled away to look at him, his blank eyes looked straight ahead in a glassy stare. She felt the warmth leave his body ever so slowly, leaking out along with his life's blood, which now pooled around her legs. She heard someone drag themselves across the floor, leaving a streak of blood in their wake.

"I c-can only save one of us… that's how much power I have left right n-now… wh-who do you want to live?" Aislinn asked shakily.

Christin looked from Marcus's stiff body to Aislinn, and back again. Only one could be saved right now? That wasn't fair… but the longer she hesitated, the closer Aislinn grew to dying too. Only one? She didn't know who to choose.

"You can't d-decide… can you?" she chuckled. Christin shook her head sadly. She didn't want to see either one die. "I-if I save myself… will you believe m-me when I say I'll b-bring him back later?" Christin nodded furiously. Aislinn grinned and rolled onto her back. She pressed her hands over her bleeding wound and in a flash of light she was healed.

Edward released another howl of pain, one that sent shivers down Christin's spine. She whipped her head around to find Edward's left leg severed as well. Both brothers were crying.

"Better do something quick, Princess," Envy sang, "They won't last much longer!" he broke into another round of crazed laughter.

She pushed Marcus's body into Aislinn's arms and stood up, walking over to the struggle. She screamed at Envy to stop, but as suspected nothing happened.

Edward watched Christin out of the corner of his eye. She was screaming at someone, that much he could see. His left arm jerked around, blocking Alphonse's attacks when suddenly they stopped. He looked up to see his brother's blade poised over his heart, while the blade he held in the arm that was still attached to his body was aimed at Alphonse's.

Christin watched in disgust. Envy had completely lost it! He even had the gall to recreate that one scene from 'The Brother's Grimm' where Jacob and Peter were being controlled by the witch lady and nearly killed each other. But this was not a movie, this was reality. And however terrible it had become, she had to face it. There was no running away from it this time. She couldn't close her eyes and reopen them to a time when everything's okay. As she continued to scream at the villains, her throat began to burn. Argh, why couldn't she get her powers back already and save the day?! Stop making them hurt each other; they had already been through so much! Poor Alphonse was never going to forgive himself for amputating Edward… why did they have to suffer because of her?! Just let them go already!! Her throat burned more as she screamed over and over… why was it hurting so? Still, no matter how much it hurt, she kept screaming. When would this end?!

* * *

Aislinn shuffled through the city, Marcus's body weighing her down quite a bit. His soul wasn't quite gone yet. If things held out long enough and Christin regained her power, he would be saved. She couldn't believe that those jerks had the audacity to make people destroy one another. If either of the brothers died… there'd be hell to pay. She'd make sure of that. She set herself down against the side of a building. Marcus weighed quite a bit, and she was still really weak so traveling long distances was not going to be part of the agenda. She considered calling Russell or someone, but doubted that there was a working telephone down here, if there was a telephone at all. This city had been build over four hundred years ago, of course there would be no telephone. There probably wasn't even electricity down here. She felt exhaustion tugging at the edges of her conscious mind. She needed a good long sleep before she could recover enough to at least get Marcus and herself out. She reached up and touched the body-controlling device, matting it shatter into thousands of pieces. She moved Marcus closer to her and pressed two fingers to his forehead, creating a special link that would keep his soul connected to his body somewhat, making it easier for Christin or herself to reattach it later. Then she fell asleep.

* * *

"We need to help them!" Kelsie cried. She stood up and bolted for the front door of the apartment she was staying in with her new family.

"Even if you went, there's nothing you can do!" Russell grabbed her wrist.

"You're just a normal human. Even us alchemists would have to work to get rid of that thing," Fletcher added moodily. "The best thing for you to do is stay here and wait it out."

"Mustang called and told me that he was going down there himself to help if he's needed. Kelsie, just…" Russell sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "You know Christin wouldn't want you to get needlessly involved. She'd blame herself if you got hurt."

Kelsie pouted but obeyed. She hoped everything would be okay.

* * *

Roy picked his way down through the underground city carefully. He wasn't sure where the others were exactly, and didn't want to walk right past them. He tripped over something and did a faceplant in the dirt. He sat up and wiped his face, glancing at what caused him to take such an unsightly fall. Aislinn and Marcus were reclined against the building. He knew it was Aislinn because the scar on her forehead stood out sharply against her pale skin. Instantly panicking, he reached out and felt for her pulse. It was slow, but there nonetheless. He checked Marcus too. His was shallower, but he was still alive. He pulled out a small, portable communication device Christin had made for him when she first became his 'child'. She had also given one to Riza, Pinako, and Russell. What did she call it? A… he couldn't remember the name as he punched in the series of numbers under the name 'Riza' and hit the small green button.

"Hello?" her voice asked uncertainly.

"Riza? It's Roy," he answered, unsure himself of how the… cell phone, that was what she called it, was working without a cable or wire. "I found Aislinn and Marcus. They're lying here unconscious but alive. I need you to meet me at the hospital. Make sure that there's rooms for them."

"okay… did you find the Elric's yet?" she asked.

"not yet, but I get the feeling that they're close. I'll call you when it's safe," he replied.

"Okay, be careful. I love you," she said.

"I love you too. Oh, Riza?" he asked before she hung up.

"Yes?"

"If we get out of this mess alive, would you marry me?" he asked, thankful she couldn't see him blush.

"Sure," she replied, hanging up. He smiled to himself as he pressed the small red button and prepared to drag two unconscious people up to the surface. Maybe he should've asked her to get a room for himself too; his muscles would be killing him in the morning.

* * *

"Standing there screaming silently won't do anything," Robin sneered. "Admit it, you're completely useless. You can't even save two people. That's pathetic. I should've just left you to die in that accident. I would've spared myself the heartbreak you so _kindly_ bestowed upon me."

Ooh, that man was so irritating. Christin told him off as best as she could while trying to ignore the searing pain in her throat. What was that?

"Since you're so worthless, I should probably just forget about you. I have bigger fish to fry right now," Robin smirked, returning his attention to Edward and Alphonse.

"Brother…" Alphonse started.

"I need you to fight against it Al! Just hang on a little longer!" Edward grunted through the shooting pain in his arm and leg… or what was left of them… again. He ground his teeth, something he had been doing quite a bit of recently, which would probably mean a default trip to the dentist if he stuck it out, and tried to pull back his arm, which still aimed a blade at his brother's heart. He saw Alphonse do the same. His eyes flicked to Christin who had sunk to her knees again and was pressing a hand to her throat like it hurt. Was it him… or was he seeing small sparks of white power dance around her?

"Say goodbye!!" Envy screeched gleefully. Edward stared in horror as his arm was pushed forward. At the last second, he heard a piercing shriek.

"STOP IT!!!" echoed the cry as a white light flooded the room.

* * *

_A/N: cliffhanger!!! Though I bet y'all can guess what happens next. But if you can't I'm going to… reveal it in the next chapter. Hah! I win!*throws hand in the air and drops keyboard dangerously close to cat's water dish*_

_Okay, Dies Irae(pronounced[probably]Dee-es ee-RAY) is a Latin term meaning 'day of wrath', which is why I put that in parenthesis. I got it out of my history book while reading about the stock market crash and the Great Depression. Actually, an extra credit project we got to do was create a journal of a character that lived during the Great Depression. I used FMA characters. Is that cheating? I did put in one OC… anyways, it's not like the teacher will know unless he's smart like that and watches FMA…_

_I found out that he did watch Samurai Jack, tho. Remember that show? Oh, I loved that one… and Johnny Bravo and the Powerpuff Girls… Ren and Stimpy…what was the other one? Oh yeah, Rocco's Modern Life (did I spell his name right?)_

_Anyways…_

_Until chapter 45…_


	45. Dies Irae Part 2

45: Dies Irae Part 2

Christin breathed heavily. She blinked a couple times and the white light faded a bit, leaving only white wisps hanging in the air, weaving through the four people in the room. She stood up, her power crackling all around her and sending large cracks shooting out from wherever she stepped. She felt complete again.

"How dare you hurt my friends," she said to Robin. She was surprised by the power emanating from her voice. Oh, it felt good to speak again. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you."

"Make me," Robin retorted. He reeled back a few steps as her power welled around her in a large bubble of white light. The air shifted around him and he was suddenly very cold. The air was biting into his skin… no, it was rubbing against him.

"Neat trick, isn't it? Wanna know what I'm doing to you?" Christin giggled darkly. "I've sped up the air molecules around you. Normally they flow in a very slow mass, but…well, I changed that. It's only the air directly touching you too. What's happening is the molecules are vibrating very quickly, which is why you're surrounded in a slightly grey haze. What _will_ happen, my dear little alchemist, is that the molecules will eventually begin to erode your skin. It's a very slow… very painful process… I thought of it just for you."

Robin bit his lip as the air started rubbing against his skin. It was really painful, like sandpaper was being rubbed against him. It was everywhere, shredding his clothes, burning his skin, even rubbing against his eyes. As he started bleeding, he screamed in pain.

"Don't watch; it is not pretty," she instructed as she approached the brothers. Alphonse quickly obeyed and covered his ears in hopes of drowning out the horrible screams. She knelt down beside Edward and hugged him.

"you're back," he stated a little breathlessly.

"You saved me. Hold still, this is going to hurt a bit," she said gently as she placed one hand over his arm and the other over his leg. Pain shot through his body and more light blinded him. When it faded, he saw his automail gleaming in the light.

"what…" he started.

"I figured it'd be a bit more useful than a plain old flesh and blood limb. I saw you hesitate when Envy appeared and.. well, I hope you're not too mad at me," she grinned. She squeaked when he hugged her fiercely.

"I'm just glad to hear your voice again…" he mumbled. She hugged him back but pushed him away.

"We're not done here yet. As soon as I take care of things here, we'll do anything you want later," she said as she stood up. Robin's screaming intensified and she turned to him. With a wave of her hands, the air stopped vibrating and he collapsed in a shaking, bloody heap.

"You… I'll kill you…" he hissed, glaring at her as best as he could with his damaged eyes. Edward had to look away; the sight was too awful.

"No you won't. and before you start ranting about how I'll never be able to kill you, I'm not going to," she smiled. Black tendrils seeped from the white aura that surrounded her, but paused when she held up her hand. "He first saw me singing and using my power; it's only fair that he last sees me doing the same."

Envy stood where he was, paralyzed. She had broken the Truth's seals and gotten her power and voice back. Even if he tried, there was no way he could win. He closed his eyes and waited for his retribution.

'_Sparkling angel I believed_

_You were my savior in my time of need_

_Blinded by faith I couldn't hear_

_All the whispers, the warnings so clear_

_I see the angels,_

_I'll lead them to your door_

_There's no escape now,_

_No mercy no more_

_No remorse cause I still remember_

_The smile when you tore me apart_

_You took my heart,_

_Deceived my right from the start._

_You showed me dreams,_

_I wish they'd turn into real_

_You broke a promise and made me realize_

_It was all just a lie._

_Sparkling angel, I couldn't see_

_Your dark intentions, your feelings for me_

_Fallen angel, tell me why?_

_What is the reason, the thorn in your eye?_

_I see the angels,_

_I'll lead them to your door_

_There's no escape now,_

_no mercy no more_

_No remorse cause I still remember_

_the smile when you tore me apart_

_you took my heart_

_Deceived me right from the start_

_You showed me dreams_

_I wished they'd turn into real_

_You broke the promise and made me realize_

_It was all just a lie_

_Could have been forever_

_Now we have reached the end._

_This world may have failed you,_

_It doesn't give you reason why_

_You could have chose a different path in life._

_The smile when you tore me apart._

_You took my heart_

_Deceived me right form the start._

_You showed me dreams_

_I wished they'd turn into real_

_You broke the promise and made me realize_

_It was all just a lie'_

Robin's twisted expression calmed immensely as he listened to the song. There wa a second voice behind the first one, almost like an echo. No, it was Aislinn's voice; the _real_ Aislinn. As the black tendrils seeped out from the swirling white energy, he uttered one last thing before giving himself up to the Gate: "I'm sorry."

Christin was taken aback by the sudden surge of emotion from the man. His intention had been pure: he wanted his lover back, the one bit of happiness he had found in his life. After being orphaned, abused, downtrodden, and all else, he just wanted to be happy. Envy had used Aislinn's warped power to brainwash him into thinking this was the only option. He could've started over again and found a new love. But it was too late. He was dead, and this was how it was meant to be. She could do nothing. Silently, she accepted his apology.

"That was beautiful…" Envy's shaky voice croaked. "But beauty can't satisfy this beast. I'm going to kill you all and get what I deserve." He snarled and morphed into a huge beast that looked almost, to Christin, like a bad imitation of Godzilla. She slowly lifted her hands, small orbs of light forming in the air around her. She lifted her arms above her head and pulled one back, aiming the formed arrow at him. She let if fly and it barely pierced the skin. Hm… she'd need something stronger.

"Christin, get away from there!" Edward roared as Envy charged, spitting flames and chunks of burning stuff as he went. Well, now he had seen everything; a crazy Homunculus. He had gotten too used to Christin not using her powers, as he almost blanched when Envy charged right through her. He made ready to jump into the fray, but a firm hand on his shoulder made him pause.

Alphonse shook his head when Edward looked at him.

"It's her fight; if she needs help she will ask," he said. "well, she's probably scream at us to get our butts over there, but still…" he chuckled at her imagined reaction. "Let her handle it."

"Fine…" Edward spat. He hated sitting around and doing nothing. He could barely wait while his automail was being built/maintained (pending upon his reason for visit). How was he supposed to sit out a fight that would last who knows how long? At least, until he got so fed up that he jumped in regardless. He sighed and curled up into a ball.

* * *

"how could you have fallen so far?" Christin asked. "Did you really want someone to care so bad that you became this?" she leapt over a flaming loogie… rock… whatever he was spitting at her.

She danced around the room, trying to think of a way to incapacitate him without expelling every last drop of her power in a huge blast. Envy roared and spat more fire and solid objects at her. As she was dodging a stream of fire, she saw a glimmer of red as the flames on a chunk died away: Red Stones. The substance on which a Homunculus lived. He was spitting at her the very thing he needed to survive! Was his desire so strong that it was worth dying over? As she watched him now, she saw that he was faltering a bit and breathing heavily. She was so busy watching him destroy himself that her right arm got singed by another fire stream. She pressed her other hand to the burns, but didn't heal them. Envy roared again and charged. She closed her eyes and outstretched her hands, catching his face.

"Stop, Envy," she ordered, her power leaking into her words and making him grind to a halt. "Is it really worth it? Do you want to be loved so badly that you're willing to risk your life? What then would be the point of fighting, if you merely die in vain?"

"You don't understand… no one understands…" he growled.

"Envy, believe me. More than anyone here I think I _do _understand," she said gently.

* * *

"Why'd he stop all of a sudden?" Alphonse asked. Edward looked up from his blank, aimless thinking and panic rushed through him.

"If he ate her, I'm going to…" he started.

"I'm alright, Ed. Just stay there and hang tight for a few minutes," Christin's voice called. Okay, so she hadn't been eaten. That was good, right?

"What is she doing?" he sighed angrily. "Does she want to be an entrée?"

"Do you think maybe she's talking to him?" Alphonse suggested. This pause in the fight was a better occupant for his troubled mind than the fight itself. "like how after you talked to Christin, she came back?"

"Don't tell me you think she's trying to reason with him!" Edward scoffed. "The last thing Envy will want from her is a lecture on how bad it is to eat people."

"if you say so…" Alphonse shrugged and returned his attention to the combatants.

* * *

"As I grew up, living in that far away dimension you so cruelly sent me to, I found it increasingly hard to get people to accept me. No one would consider me 'normal' and I had very few friends. My 'family' was always putting me down, claiming 'I love you' and 'you're so cute' here and there then hurting me by swearing at me and calling me 'useless' and 'worthless'. What few friends I did have eventually moved on with their lives, forgetting about me. I forced myself into another small clique and they became my 'friends'. Time and time again, I lost and gained new 'friends' but never found a place for myself. I felt so lonely and out of place that I started to break. I began hurting myself to ease my pain. It was the only comfort I found in that terrible void of loneliness. I had nothing and no one… it was awful. I thought that maybe if I died, things would get better. I would be free to travel wherever I pleased, just a free soul wandering the universe. I often wondered that if I did die, how many people would show up for my funeral. Then I realized that people had to care in order for there to be a funeral… so again I succumbed to loneliness," she said gently.

She felt Envy change shape again, into his true form because he was bending over and she stood on her toes as she maintained a firm grip on his face.

"The loneliness was terrible. I felt like no one cared what happened to me, that no one would care if I lived or died or just existed. But then I came to the other side of the Gate. It was a far cry from anything I was used to and I admit one of the first people I met I instantly disliked. I thought I could start over there, begin a new life where I mattered and people would actually care that I existed. I was wrong, to a certain extent. It was worse than the world I had come from. I knew no one and nothing and had only a brief understanding of that world from some blurbs I read in my school history book. But… I found one person who showed signs of caring," she felt her expression soften at the memory. "He was kind to me and tried to bring me out of the mizerable depression I had fallen into. For the first time in my life, I felt really, truly happy."

Envy dropped to his knees, unsure of what to feel. What was this feeling in his chest? It hurt so much… it was almost as if she was sharing with him all the pain she went through… that _he_ had put her through. It was awful and he wanted that pain to go away.

"But still it wasn't enough. Sixteen years of neglect and solitude warped me, and I craved more. He tried so hard to make me feel wanted, but it was never enough. I got greedy and began using him. Looking back now, I feel terrible about it. I used him and toyed with him and I couldn't fill that pit inside me that screamed for companionship. I grew so greedy that I turned to another man, while still toying with the first. The first found out and was devastated, I really don't blame him. I blame myself, for not being happy with what I got. Then someone who was in a similar situation snatched him up and made him their toy. It…" she paused and chewed the inside of her cheek a moment. "It was hard, seeing him being used like that. But it was harder knowing I was the same. I feared that I was going to use the second man the same way, but… I didn't."

The more Christin talked about herself, the more Envy could relate to her. She just wanted someone to care about her, to be happy when she was, to hold her when she was sad, to cry over her when misfortune befell her, to love her so much it ached. He now knew what that odd feeling in his chest was… his heart was bleeding for her.

"I had never loved anyone with my whole heart before… I said it, sure, but it was just a game to me. I was sick and twisted and I lost sight of myself. The more I came to care for him, the more I feared for his life. but… he showed me tolerance. He accepted me as I was, he even told me that it was okay to be flawed and that he loved that about me. I realized then that someone _did_ care about me. More than one someone too, a whole entourage of someones. I'm better now; I don't feel as lonely, but I'm not fixed. The loneliness is still there, gnawing at the edges of my heart. There are times when it takes over and I feel lonely again. I still have a hard time accepting that someone truly cares for me and may even be willing to risk his life for me, if that's what it takes. Because of what I went through, I can't fully grasp that concept," she got down on her knees and looked into his eyes.

"We're kindred spirits…" he muttered absently, almost blankly.

"there is a story I loved, called 'The Little Mermaid'. It's about this mermaid girl who falls in love with a prince from a world completely different from her own. She pays a price to enter his world in hopes of being nearer to him, but if she does not win the prince's love, she will turn into sea foam and die. She succeeds and gains his favor, but in the end he goes off and marries another girl. The little mermaid is heartbroken, but an offer appears; her sisters come and tell her that if she kills the prince she can go on living. She comes so close to killing him, but changes her mind and surrenders herself to the sea, becoming foam," she made a face, "of course, Disney had to ruin it and let her live."

"That's stupid," Envy chuckled dryly.

"looking back now, I see that this life I have is similar to 'The Little Mermaid'. A girl from one world falls in love with a man from another. She pays a price to enter his world and gain his love. That's as far as my story has gotten. And as much as I hate it, I think this is the Disney version, where the girl lives on and the villain dies," she smiled gently.

"Then kill me. I'm sick of this pathetic existence… I wasn't supposed to become this creature… put me out of my misery," he begged.

"I will not be able to bring you back as I did with the little girl. You understand?" she asked. Envy nodded, salty tears running down his face like a calming warm rain. "Very well. But before you go, I have one last thing to tell you."

Christin stood up and brought Envy with her. His body felt very odd, kinda floaty and light, like he wasn't really there.

"By some weird happening, you helped bring Edward into my life," she stated.

"I did?" he asked uncertainly. Oh, but he was feeling tired now.

"I hate you for what you did to me, but… I can't thank you enough for helping bring happiness and love into my life. Goodbye, Envy," she smiled again, one lone tear trickling down her face.

* * *

Edward stood up quickly, almost losing his balance. Envy was glowing a brilliant blue and everything around him was being swamped with blackness. As the blackness swallowed the whole room, Envy began to glow brighter and brighter. Small particles began flying off him until he was nothing but a mass of blue specks. They compressed before scattering, spreading through the blackness like stars against the night sky. For a moment he thought he was outside, for there was also a bright white glow. At first he thought it was the moon, but its irregular shape quickly fixed that notion.

It was his guardian angel, glowing brilliantly in the luminosity of her exotic tattoos.

Christin kept her hands raised as what remained of Envy scattered into millions of tiny particles. He would not be able to come back to life ever again; that was the price he paid, his equivalent exchange. Another tear rolled down her cheek.

It was over now.

Her life wouldn't be endangered by him ever again.

* * *

_A/N: almost done here! Geez, I'm feeling so emo over this… okay, so I'm going to have four more chapters to tie up the loose ends and give you a sense of what all the characters are doing now that Envy is gone *forces back tears* I miss him already!!!_

_And there's going to be an epilogue, making this entire story fifty chapters long. That's the same length as the first FMA story I wrote ever, _Fullmetal Alchemist and the Nightmare Realms_, which you can read on my Quizilla account. There's a link on my website under the page 'connect wif me'._

_thanks to everyone who's been reviewing so far and sticking with christin through all the crap I'm putting her through._

_i'm working on the manga version of this story, so i should have at least a few pages up on my website by next week._

_*giggles* you'll all get to see what christin looks like (from my P.O.V. at least)_

_if you have fan art or something, email it to me or contact me or something and i'll put it up on my site._

_Until chapter 46…_


	46. Aftermath

46: Aftermath

Christin sighed and plopped her head on her desk. She had spent the majority of the past three months filling out paperwork and working off her debt to the Amestrian military. Still, it was worth it; she had been granted citizenship in the country and the debt had been cleared. Being so busy, she hadn't really had time to fret about 'Dies Irae', as she called it. Envy had finally died, but she wasn't able to mourn him yet. On top of that, she had killed Robin too. Half the time she was filling out paperwork, she was expecting to randomly burst into tears and scream her head off. But she hadn't… yet, anyways. Still, there was one more thing she had promised the new Furher, Olivier, she would do when she was able. She would restore most of the damage that Envy had done, mostly to the lives of regular civilians and such. However, she would not tamper with the memories of those closely involved with the palm tree creature, and it was only the recent damage she would be fixing. She was not going to rewind time (though she probably could if she tried) and bring back Edward and Alphonse's mother, or stop their father from turning Envy into a Homunculus. Only the damage done, in a way, by her would be repaired.

She pushed back the chair of her desk and stretched her muscles. She had been sitting there since last night and had only gotten up once around two a.m. to go to the bathroom and swipe a snack from the mess hall. Eastern HQ was not much different from the one in Central, though it was a tad closer to Resembool. Only three days by train, instead of four. Stretching her arms over and back behind her head, she strolled out into the hallway, almost running into someone.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't see you," she said to Fuery. He pushed his glasses up his nose and smiled.

"It's okay. You're really busy so I don't blame you for being a bit spacey," he replied.

"Space Cadet Fallbrook, reporting for duty," she said with a mock salute. "I better go; I still have a bit more clean up to do," she grinned.

"Oh, can I come watch?" he asked eagerly. "I've never really seen you use your powers."

"I won't be doing much but sure, why not?" she agreed.

"I do hope you're not cheating on me," a familiar voice called.

"Don't be retarded, Ed. You know you're the only one for me," Christin rolled her eyes.

"Where are you going? Don't you have an ocean of paperwork to sign?" he asked, joining his fellow officers. "Honestly, you're worse than Mustang."

"Number one, I finished it. Number two, he is my father, so…" she grinned.

"He is not," he corrected. Christin glared at him. "…biologically," he added.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Any word on Ai?" she asked.

"Well, according to Al, she's as fat as ever and steadily growing. On top of that, she's moody and hormonal and stuff…" he sighed.

"Pregnant women can be like that," she said. "At least, that's what all the books told me."

"What books?" the blond questioned, watching Fuery scuttle away a bit.

"Trashy romance novels that probably wouldn't interest you," she replied, skipping down the hall to the Fuhrer's temporary office. She knocked twice and slipped through the door.

"You're done with your paperwork?" Olivier asked, by now used to Christin phasing through solid objects.

"Yes. I'm uh… going to fix the things now," she replied. "So, if you wanna watch, you can. Just thought I'd tell you."

"I still can't get used to you walking through stuff…" Edward sighed as Christin reappeared.

"Tough luck, babe," she smirked. As if she was going to stop anytime soon. She didn't get stuck in something as often as before, so she took every opportunity to scare people. "Let's go!" she exclaimed, grabbing his hand and dragging him outside to the parade grounds.

"There you are! We've been waiting for you for fifteen minutes now!" Roy snapped.

"Pardon me for breathing. I had work to do," she replied coolly. "Saru!!"

"Right here, master!" the shikigami chirped.

"I need you to play the healing song, okay?" she asked.

"The healing… oh, you mean the one from Inuyasha? The really gentle one?" Saru asked, catching on. Christin smiled and nodded. "Okay! 'No More Words', here we go!" she cried, letting the song play. Soft white light emanated from the singer as she activated the power that would restore what Envy had ruined.

'_Kitto kitto bokutachi wa_

_Ikiru hodo ni siiteyuku_

_Soshite sohite bokutachi wa_

_Ikiru ohdo ni wasureteku_

_Hajimiari ga aru mono ni wa_

_Itsu no hi ka owari mo aru koto_

_Iki toshi ikeru mono nara_

_Sono subete ni_

_Moshimo kono sekai ga shousha to haisha to no_

_Futatsu kiri ni wakareru nara_

_Aa boku wa haisha de ii_

_Itsu date haisha de itai n da_

_Kitto kitto bokutachi wa_

_Kanashii hodo ni utsukushiku_

_Yue ni yue ni bokutachi wa_

_Kanashii hodo ni kegareteku_

_Mamoru beki mono no tame ni_

_Kyou mo mata nanika o gisei ni_

_Iki toshi ikeru mono tachi_

_Sono subete ga_

_Moshimo kono sekai ga shousha to haisha to no_

_Futatsu kiri ni wakareru nara_

_Aa boku wa haisha de ii_

_Itsu date haisha de itai n da_

_Boku wa kimi ni nani o tsutaerareru darou_

_Konna chippoke de chisana boku de shika nai_

_Ima wa kore ijou hanasu no wa yametoku yo_

_Kotoba wa sou amari ni mo_

_Toki ni muryoku dakara'_

The white light spread from where Christin stood, wrapping around anything it touched. Edward felt her energy swirl throughout his entire body, filling him with an unnatural but pleasant happiness. He could feel it flowing through other people too, he could feel their heartbeats. He wasn't sure how he knew, but he knew that her seemingly endless power was enveloping the entire country, anywhere she had been, and erasing the damage Envy had done. He waited for it to be deleted from his mind… and waited… and waited… and he looked around stupidly when the light faded, along with the song. Why could he still remember all the recent crap he had gone through?

"Weren't you supposed to erase any damage Envy had done?" he hissed in her ear as they walked back inside.

"I did… for most people. It would be bad if someone who was involved so much simply forgot like that," she replied, snapping her fingers.

"Has it hit you yet?" he asked cautiously. She bit her lip and shook her head.

"Not yet. I'm not even slightly numb. Normally I would've been a wreck by now, but I've been so busy lately I haven't had much time to think about it…" she muttered, sliding her hand into his. "how's Al? is he okay? I mean, I know he's kinda occupied with Ai now that she's pregnant, but he was the reason you got automail again. It must be hard on him…"

"He's coping. I think Aislinn's helping keep his mind off of it, though," he mumbled, lacing his fingers through hers. Actually, he had broken down the other day and had started crying about it. He was better now, but Edward knew it would haunt him for quite a while.

"You do know that I'm not going to be the same as I was before, right?" she asked as they loped to her office. "I'm still not really sure where I'm really from, and although I love you to pieces I still have trouble accepting that someone actually cares about me. Can you deal with that?"

"I can handle anything you can dish out," he replied, kissing her head. "So, what are we going to do next?"

"Well… since my debt's been paid off I'm going to quit working for the military and focus on my singing career. I was never much one for school, so signing paperwork all day just plain sucks. After that, I'm going into town to pick up our outfits for Kelly Nelly Chan and Russell's wedding tomorrow…" she rambled.

"I gotta go to that?" he groaned playfully.

"Oh, suck it up and deal with it," she elbowed him. "Then I have to finish moving my crap outta Roy's place and into ours… check up on Ai… then I'm going to let the shock hit me and after that I'm taking everyone on a vacation." She jumped a bit when something in her pocket buzzed.

"Where are you??" Kelsie's voice wailed after Christin answered her cell phone.

"I'm at work. What's wrong?" she replied huffily.

"Argh, get your big butt over here!!" she demanded. "I need your advice!"

"Ugh, all right, all right, I'll be there in thirty minutes. Stop spazzing long enough to tell me where you are," the singer sighed. "Kelsie's having a breakdown about her dress. I gotta go beat some sense into her. Um…" she glanced at the clock on the phone's screen. "The shop our outfits are in closes at six… this might take a while… would you go pick them up?" she asked.

"Why can't you?" he asked. "It's only fifteen minutes from our apartment."

"Pleeeeze?" she begged.

"Oh, alright, just stop with the puppy eyes!" he groaned. She threw her arms around her neck and planted a kiss on his cheek. "The things I do for you…"

"I'll see you later," she called as she trotted down the hall.

* * *

Aislinn had just sat down when the phone rang. Alphonse was out tending to a jittery Russell and Christin and Edward were still at work. After much grumbling, she answered.

"Hello?" she asked.

"Ai?" Christin's voice asked.

"Nee chan, where are you?" she asked, bending the page in the book she was reading as a temporary bookmark.

"Kelsie's having a melt down. I'm on my way to her place now. Is Al there yet?"

"No, he's still trying to keep Russell from backing out of the marriage. Oh, do you know how to color hair without using harmful chemicals?" she asked. "I don't wanna harm the baby."

"Yeah, just… hey I'm walkin' here!!!" she screamed. "Gah, people don't know how to drive… okay, you just extract the color from something that's the color you want… and imbed it in your hair… I think I got lost… no wait. I know where I am. Do you need anything while I'm out?"

"No…" she stalled.

"What is it?" Christin asked, panting slightly.

"A TV," Aislinn admitted.

"What?!" Christin barked. "When did they start making those?"

"Umm… not too long ago. They've been perfecting it so it hasn't been on the market yet. Please? We need one in the dining room!" she whined.

"Can't you just take the food into the living room?" Christin sighed.

"But it's too much work to pause the movie, get up, go to the kitchen, get more food, walk back to the living room and push play," Aislinn whined.

"Argh, you have magical powers! Is it really so hard to scatter the particles of something or change how the light's reflected?!" she raged. "…all right, I'll see what I can do. Anything else? Please say there's nothing else."

"There's nothing else…" Aislinn grinned, stroking her stomach absently. "…for now." She hung up and resumed reading her book. She thought she heard Christin screaming from halfway across East City.

* * *

"You'd think someone other than me would have grown up by now…" Christin grumbled. "How did you get such a large stain on the dress?!"

"It was an accident," Kelsie repeated, rolling her eyes at the coffee stain that covered most of the midsection of her white silk dress.

"Geez, you people are going to kill me…" Christin muttered, laying the garment out flat on the table. She held her hand over it and focused on the material and the coffee. "Your wedding's tomorrow afternoon; you can spill whatever you want on the dress after the whole things over!"

"So has Ed asked you to marry him yet?" Kelsie asked abruptly.

"What makes you say that?" Christin replied.

"Well, you've been a couple for quite some time now. It's only natural," she said innocently.

"The last thing I need right now is another wedding. First there's you and Russell, then in the spring Roy and Riza are tying the knot, Winry is dating my son, and you have no idea how much that weirds me out… and on top of that Aislinn's carrying Alphonse's child!" Christin huffed.

"that last one's kinda irrelevant," Kelsie pursed her lips, enjoying her friend's turmoil.

"and I still have to go back to Creta and make sure Luna's okay and I have to pay my respects to the chief and I quit my job in the military today and I have that concert next week and just…ugh!" she threw her hands up, accidentally making the removed coffee splatter against the wall. "I'm going to go to pieces and I haven't even been hit by the fact that I killed Envy yet!"

She plopped down on the floor and cradled her head in her hands.

"The last thing I need right now is something else I need to plan for…" she moaned.

"But if he asked, what would you say?" Kelsie pressed gently.

"I honestly don't know. no one's ever asked me anything like that before…" she flopped on her back and stared at the electric light until she saw colored spots.

"Didn't he ask to court you?" she asked.

"Court? Oh, you mean date. Uh… no, he didn't. it just sorta happened," Christin replied. "And before you ask, he didn't ask to flip me either. He actually made me do that and I couldn't so I screamed at him," she chuckled dryly. "Asking just doesn't seem to work for us."

"If he does, I think you should accept," Kelsie replied. "You two are good together."

"Like it's any of your business whether he asks me to marry him or not!" the singer snapped. "Is that it? I still have a ton of stuff to do."

"No, you can go home or whatever," the bride grinned. Christin got up and began to leave. "Oh, Christin?"

"Hm?" she replied.

"If you fixed everything that Envy ruined, why didn't the chief come back to life?" she asked.

"Because he didn't die because of Envy. Luna came back because Envy had her murdered; the chief died on his own terms, more or less. That's why he didn't come back," she replied blandly before turning and leaving.

* * *

Christin walked back through the streets of East City to the apartment she shared with Aislinn and the Elrics. Was it her or did she get sadder with each step she took? A cold winter wind blew through her, making her shiver. She turned her eyes to the grey, cloudy sky and watched the condensed water creep slowly across the expanse. She couldn't wait until summer when it was warm enough to walk about in a shirt and shorts without freezing to death. The front door of the apartment creaked open slowly to reveal a warm rush of air filled with pleasant noise. A movie was playing, though she didn't care enough to recall which one. She shut the door behind her and slumped against it, hot tears pricking her eyes.

"you're back sooner that I thought you'd be…" Aislinn said as she greeted her sister. "Nee chan? What's wrong?"

"It's hitting me…" she mumbled before bursting into tears. She slid to the floor and curled up into a ball-like shape, hiding her face behind her knees. Footsteps made the floor vibrate and she knew the others had come into the room. Strong arms, one metal white the other was flesh, wrapped around her and pulled her into an equally strong chest. She inhaled shakily and caught Edward's scent. She clung to his shirt and sobbed long into the night.

It was really, truly over.

* * *

_A/N: few more wrap up chapters before this story ends._

_A big THANK YOU to everyone who's been reviewing and reading._

_You help me keep this story alive._

_BTW, I did think of a few ideas for a sequel, so if you want that, go take my poll. It's that very sexy sentence at the top of my profile, next to which is an even sexier thing saying 'vote now' see that? Go click it and then choose from the series of even **sexier** buttons that appear._

_Sorry, I'm high on Oreos now. they's gots holiday pictures on them and _**bright red frosting**_. freaking yes man!... 'course, now my mouths a little red but it's so worth it! i haven't had Oreos in... a few months, maybe?_

_i'm working as much as i can on the manga. it's kinda hard cuz i'm trying to finish the story thingie here when i'm at home and people keep interrupting me at school(that's the price of doodling in class i guess) but i'll work extra hard once i'm done here. please don't give up on me!_

_if you wanna see some of my artwork, or check out my blog (see what really goes on in my life) click on the link for 'homepage' on my profile._

_i'd love to hear from you!!!_

_Until chapter 47…_


	47. Christin's Soliloquy

47: Christin's Soliloquy

"Are you sure you're okay?" Edward asked. After Kelsie and Russell's wedding, she had spent the entire week in bed and in a really mizerable mood. It was hitting her harder than either of them had thought it would.

"…'m fine…" she mumbled, half heartedly brushing a lock of short hair out of her eyes. It fell back in her face and she ignored it.

"No you're not. You haven't left the apartment in a week. You're scaring me," Edward said, sitting near her and rubbing her arms. "Look, I know it's hard, but you've got to get over it. You killed Envy; he probably would've killed you if you hadn't stopped him!"

"You didn't feel what was going through him when he died…" she replied dully.

"What?" he asked, utterly confused.

"He… was sorry, you know. He wanted me to put him out of his misery. What's really funny is…" she chuckled dryly. "… he's almost exactly like me."

"I'm not getting what you're trying to get at…" Edward sighed.

"He just wanted someone to care about him… to see him as more than a tool for creating a Philosopher's Stone… he wanted someone to be glad that he existed, even if it was as a Homunculus. It's a wonderful feeling…" she paused and took a breath, "…to know that at least one person cares that you're alive. That one person can be the difference between life and death."

Edward was speechless. That was what his enemy wanted all along? Someone to care about him? He forced back a scoff.

"Did you know that… ever since we became a couple, I've stopped trying to kill myself? I admit I harmed myself, but not once did I consider actually ending my life. One person… can change everything. And on some level, I did care for Envy. Because we were the same. We both wanted someone to notice us… to be happy when we were happy… sad when we were sad… comfort us in our misery and miss us when we're gone. You saved my life Edward…" she smiled down at the sheets bunched up in her hands, "…you're my guardian angel."

"You're saying that… he wanted to be human?" Edward asked, trying to put all the information together. Christin shook her head.

"He didn't want to be human," she corrected him. "He _was_ human. I think more so than most of us. there's nothing that makes one more human than wanting to be loved. He may have been artificial, but he was human nonetheless because he expressed _humanity_. He was dealing with the lack of emotions and feelings that everyone needs to survive, and because he wanted to fix that, to find those missing elements, he was human."

"Figures you'd find something good about him…" he muttered.

"It's fine if you don't see things the same way. You don't see the world the way I do," she nodded understandingly. "But I can show you if you like."

"Really? That would be interesting…" he mused. Christin grabbed his face, this skin of her hands warm and soft, and pressed their foreheads together. When she pulled away, Edward blinked a few times. Everything was glowing brilliantly, like bright lights were steadily glowing inside each and every object. Most things were a solitary white color, but the shape in front of him was a mass of colors too beautiful to name.

"People are the brightly colored objects. That's why it's hard to distinguish features with this type of vision," Christin chuckled, sounding a bit like her old self.

"How do you walk?" he asked, belwildered.

"I can change it. That's the special type of vision I call Emo-vision. It colors emotions, marking which masses are people and animals as opposed to inanimate objects like the walls or a door. I also have heat-vision, night-vision, the one where my eyes change at night into the 'cat demon' eyes, and regular vision. That's why I don't bump into stuff," she tapped his forehead and the lights dimmed. He blinked hard and rubbed his eyes. "…and how I could tell Envy was human. Can't have you getting epilepsy."

"He had colors?" the blond asked.

"He had colors," she nodded. "you didn't see it, did you?"

"Envy? No, he's dead, remember?" Edward replied. Christin shook her head.

"The blank space within me," she clarified, touching her heart. "I have a blank spot inside me because of my automail heart. That was something else that didn't get fixed, because it was due anyway. It's very small, so I'm not surprised you missed it."

"Blank?" he asked.

"I'm part machine, still. I was when I first came to this world because of that fluke with Saru. Then again when Robin implanted that tracking device inside my arm. After that my heart failed and I got a new one, also a machine. Then I found out I was a god, of sorts. And I learned how to control my power without the aid of machines, mostly. It'd be bad if my heart stopped again," she chuckled. "but I think it was because of all the machines I realized my power… a real life deus ex machina."

"Deus ex machina?" he repeated.

"It's Latin for 'a god out of a machine'. See, in the beginning I was mostly a machine. You saw how Saru was eating away at me and infecting my body. I began relying on smaller machines to keep me going and regained more and more of my humanity. I've completely evolved from that pathetic wimp of a girl I used to be into…" she paused and pondered a good word.

"…a strong, beautiful, exotic woman who knows how to kick butt," Edward finished. "Though you look hardly over nineteen."

"That works…" she sighed contently. "I don't know what I'd do without you," she muttered, caressing his cheek with her hand. "Do you know what Ai said when she was in here chewing me out the other day?"

"I'm super hormonal so you better listen to me?" he asked.

"She asked me if I wanted to meet our parents," she replied softly.

"Do you?" he asked after a short pause.

"Part of me is saying 'yes', but the other part isn't so sure. I mean… the Truth has messed with me so much already… I'm not sure if I want to believe it when it says I'm originally from this world…" she muttered, drawing her knees up under her chin. She sighed and shook her head. "Either way, I agreed. She has to go tell them that she's been impregnated and asked if I wanted to come along."

"They won't be surprised to find her alive?" he asked, recalling her 'death' in the train accident.

"They were never aware that she fell into any harm. Envy had made sure of that. So to them, she's still alive and well and dating Robin. Another thing she had to correct," she chuckled.

"My parents are dead," Edward said to fill the silence.

"I know. You told me," she giggled. "You told me everything… I think. Was there anything you didn't tell me?"

Edward bit his tongue; he could ask her now. She had asked if he had told her everything… he hadn't. Well… it was more asking than telling, but the rule still applied. Before he could answer her, she got up and stretched.

"Oh, I'm so stiff!" she yawned. "That's the last time I spend a week in bed when I'm not ill." She raked a hand through her hair and started walking away.

"While I'm glad to see you actually doing something, where are you going?" he called after her as she left the room.

"I'm going to take a bath," she replied, poking her head around the corner. "I haven't bathed in a week. Unless you'd prefer it if I stayed all dirty and stuff…"

"No, by all means…" he said, waving his hand, "…go take a bath."

"You coming?" she asked so bluntly he almost didn't register it.

* * *

"So where do Aislinn's parent's live?" he asked a decent amount of time later.

"Not far. I think she said they were at the edge of Resembool, so not very far," Christin sighed. "Why, do you want to come?"

"Nah, just curious," he shrugged, which was somewhat hard as he had one-hundred-thirty-odd pounds of human sprawled on top of him. He ran a finger up and down Christin's side, loving how smooth and slick her wet skin was. She squiggled when he brushed her ticklish spot.

"You look happy," she said, brushing a stray strand of wet hair out of her eyes and sitting up.

"Gee, I wonder why?" he drawled sarcastically. She made a face and slashed him. "Ah, stop, that water's hot!"

"God, you're such a wimp all of a sudden!" she sighed. "What happened to the rough man who nearly drowned me a few minutes ago?"

"He's relaxing," Edward rolled his eyes. "Because believe it or not, I'm not invincible. I get tired too, especially after dealing with you."

"To err is human," she replied snootily.

"Besides, you wouldn't have drowned. You would've just made that weird force-bubbly-filter-shield-field-thingie that makes you breathe underwater," he pointed out.

She pondered this for a moment, "You're right, I probably would've done that. You know me so well."

"I should after spending this much time with you. I'd make a sucky boyfriend if I didn't," he replied, dunking his head under the water and smoothing his hair back. "So when are you leaving?"

"I'm not sure… Ai was thinking about tomorrow, since they're so close by… Ed, would you believe me if I told you I'm scared to meet them?" she asked.

"Yes, I would," he replied. "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" he inquired as she climbed out of the bathtub and wrapped a fuzzy towel around her body.

"Al's coming. Y'know him being the 'baby daddy' and all. I'll be fine," she assured him. "But just in case I want chrysanthemums at my funeral."

"I thought you liked lilies," he replied.

"I'm joking…" she sighed. She held out a towel. "Here, make yourself decent before someone barges in."

"Why? We've been walked in on before," he grumbled, though he snatched the towel out of her hands.

"Just… just…" she made a strange sound, "okay?"

"You still can't actually say it, can you?" he teased.

"Don't mock me!" she hissed.

"You're so cute," he grinned, hugging her. She squeaked and clamped a hand over the place where her towel was tucked in on itself. They perked up when they heard the front door opening.

"Nee chan, are you still in bed?" Aislinn's irritated voice demanded.

"I told you to lay off; she'll come out when she's ready," Alphonse muttered.

"You need something, Ai?" Christin asked, popping into the entryway. The expecting woman grinned and waved three train tickets in the singer's face.

* * *

"Maybe we should send you back," Alphonse suggested. The next stop was Resembool and Christin was on the verge of passing out.

"I sed I is fine," she growled sharply. "I said I was gonna meet them and I'm not going to back out."

"Uh-huh," Aislinn scoffed. The voice over announced that they were arriving in Resembool.

"Oh, please don't make me go out there!" Christin whined, flinging herself at Aislinn. "I'm so scared I almost don't know if I'm scared! What if they don't recognize me? What if they hate me?"

"Nee chan, shut up and get moving," Aislinn commanded, kicking her twin. Christin whimpered but obeyed. She was seriously considering calling Edward and making him come out here. But he did have work, so he had to stay back in East City. She shuffled along behind Aislinn and Alphonse, Saru sitting on top of her head.

"I'm scared too," Alphonse admitted at the end of the drive. Christin was almost hyperventilating, but seeing the pale blue house that almost blended into the sky somehow made her feel calm.

"Not you too!" Aislinn groaned. "Okay, here's what we're gonna do: Al, I'm introducing you first. One chan will just hang back until I say so. Can you two goobers do that?!" she barked.

"Yes!" they quipped in unison. Aislinn led the way up the white-washed porch steps and rapped twice on the door frame. It might be winter, but it was unusually warm so the front door was open.

"Mom, dad, I'm back. I have some things to tell you…" she called anxiously. Two sets of footsteps echoed through the house. A middle aged woman with curly brown hair and a pale pink dress met them at the door. A man of similar age , with thinning and graying dark brown hair, appeared behind her, clad in a worn shirt and shorts that were splattered with paint and beard stubble growing in.

"Aislinn, my darling!" the woman breathed. "Oh, it's been so long! Why didn't you write to us or come visit?"

"Sorry, I was busy," she replied. The man coughed.

"Who're these yahoos?" he demanded gruffly.

"Honey, be nice," the woman scolded gently.

"Mom, Dad, this is Alphonse Elric. He's my boyfriend and… um… the father of my child…" she said choppily, patting her stomach.

"Oh… oh my goodness… oh, honey, how wonderful!" the woman hugged Aislinn and the man's expression softened immensely. He pushed his way onto the porch and began vigorously shaking Alphonse's hand.

"Well well well, who would've thought that Aislinn would've met up with one of the famous Elric brothers? Welcome to the family!" he beamed. Alphonse grinned shakily as his arm was shaken to death.

"Well, don't just stand there come inside and sit down!" the mother smiled. "I'm Stacy von Lohengrin, Aislinn's mother. This is Kurt, my husband."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. and Mrs. Lohengrin," Alphonse replied.

"Sweetie, you don't have to be so formal! Calling us by our names is perfectly acceptable," Stacy grinned.

Alphonse and Aislinn were ushered inside while Christin tromped along behind them. Normally she would've been peeved about being left out, but again the house caught her attention.

Soft colors blanketed the walls adorned with quite a few photo frames. Her eyes fell on one in particular, a faded image that was tacked to the wall over a small table. The subjects were a younger Stacy and Kurt, and two infants, girl twins still wrapped in that cloth most babies are wrapped in when they're just born, smiling brilliantly at the photographer.

Everything in this house seemed familiar to her. The soft colors, the way the light danced in through the windows, even the smell of the place. She even thought the fat old grey cat that was perched on the kitchen table happily grooming itself was familiar. She thought that Stacy was familiar, and Kurt too. Their voices were familiar… so nostalgic.

"Oh, honey, I said you could sit down! You should know your way around her; you don't need to be gawking at the old family photos while your boyfriend's fending for himself!" Stacy chided as she walked past Christin.

"Oh, I'm not Aislinn," Christin corrected her.

"My mistake, dearie! So sorry. You just look so much like her that I got confused for a bit," Stacy replied. "Maybe…" she stepped closer and examined Christin. Christin stared almost fearfully back, into features that were shockingly similar to her own, but older by perhaps twenty-odd years. "No… that's impossible."

"Mom, this is Christin. She's…" Aislinn started as she came into the hallway where the two women were congregating. "She's my sister."

"What? Oh, Aislinn, honey, are you still going on about that?" Stacy smiled gently. "I told you time and again, your sister never…" she stopped and looked at Christin. "…never… survived…"

"M-mom?" Christin tried out the word. It was foreign and heavy on her tongue. Stacy's eyes widened and tears began to well.

"Aislinn… don't start this. I can't take it…" Stacy gulped. Christin hesitantly reached out and placed a shaking hand on the woman's arm. In an instant, both knew they were related directly. Christin read the woman's genetic make-up and it matched half of her own.

"Look at me and tell me I'm not your child, knowing what you do from my touch," Christin begged gently.

"You… but they told me… we were told…" Stacy wavered.

"We were told you had died," Kurt finished. He placed a hand over Christin's, gaining access to her knowledge.

"Christin and I are exactly the same. We look alike, we act alike, we have the same powers," Aislinn reached out her own hand and touched the others. The genetic make-up of all four people was exactly the same. "Well, almost. I mean… she took the other brother."

"Christin… you even kept the name we had given you before…" Stacy sobbed and hugged Christin fiercely.

"M-mom?" she tried again. It was still heavy on her tongue, but it wasn't as foreign.

"Oh, our baby's come back to us… after all these years, to find out you're alive… and that Aislinn's going to have a baby… oh, my dear!" she sobbed. Kurt sniffled and Christin watched him wipe a tear from his cheek. She felt a smile break out on her face as tears streamed down her cheeks.

* * *

_A/N: Aww, ain't that cute? Truthfully, I never planned for you to meet Aislinn and Christin's parents. I never planned for them to be sisters too, so yeah… I lied. The next chapter is going to be the last… maybe… it all depends on if I can drag out the ending to two chapters. Probably not, so let's just call the next one the last._

_Don't worry, there's going to be an epilogue, and I have an idea for a sequel!!!!_

_So, until chapter 48…_


	48. I Guess This Ending’s Happy After All

48: I Guess This Ending's Happy After All

"This was my room?" Christin asked softly. It was a very clean room painted the same shade of green as a marker she had used once that was called 'sea foam green'. A cradle with frilly white bedding stood in a corner, a soft white mosquito net draped above it. There was a dresser, rocking chair, a book case, small vanity, and a small sofa all the same shade of soft white.

"It was going to be before we lost you," Stacy replied softly.

"But now that you're here again, we can remodel it for you. You probably have a life of your own now, but you're more than welcome to come home anytime you want," Kurt nodded. "You and yours will always be welcome here, anytime, day or night. I'll give you a key."

"Thanks, dad…" Christin said softly.

"They're really laid back, so we can come and go as we please," Aislinn muttered as they went back downstairs.

"I can't believe that if things hadn't been ruined by Envy, we might've grown up together…" Alphonse mused.

"Aww, it's okay," Aislinn cooed, linking her arm with his. "We're together now, aren't we?"

"Ah!" Christin exclaimed.

"What? What's wrong?" everyone asked.

"Oh no, I completely forgot!" she wailed. "The chief's funeral was today and we were supposed to be there!" she glanced around for a clock. "Noo! If we hurry we can still make it!"

"But it'll take us days to get to Creta!" Alphonse protested, fully aware of what Christin did to try to save him.

"We'll Jump!" the twins replied.

"We gotta go get Edward!" Christin wailed. "I promised him I'd show him the Mahk'rah Doon!"

"You go do that; I'll Jump Al," Aislinn offered.

"Nope, no can do. You've never been there before. You'll go get Ed and Jump him; he knows where we're headed," Christin corrected. She turned to Stacy and Kurt. "Sorry about rushing off like this. But he was my teacher of sorts and he sorta saved my life so I gotta go pay my respects."

"Oh, we're not going anywhere. Go have fun," Stacy smiled. Her eyes widened a bit when Aislinn vanished in a flash of white light.

"I'll be back soon, I promise!" Christin said as she and Alphonse disappeared in a similar way.

* * *

"This is where you lived?" Alphonse exclaimed. "It's so colorful here…" he blinked hard and rubbed his eyes.

"Yeah, the city of Rainbow Barf. You'll get used to it, promise!" she winked. Not much had changed since she was last in the small village in the heart of the jungle. A small child ran out and hugged her.

"Mommy! Auntie's here!" the little girl cried. A tall woman with long hair stepped out of a small hut.

"I guess I should thank you for saving my life," Moon Willow smiled gently. Her accent was still thick, but the English was no longer choppy.

"Don't bother," Christin grinned sheepishly. She felt a flash of light behind her and knew Edward and Aislinn had arrived. "Umm… would you… show Ai and Al around so they don't get lost or eaten or anything? Ed and I have business to attend to…"

"Sure, though you are late," Moon Willow grinned. Christin cringed and grabbed Edward's hand.

"You forgot, didn't you?" he asked.

"Sorta…" she admitted. "Yeah, I did."

"I figured as much," he chuckled.

"But I met them," she added.

"Oh really? What were they like?" he inquired.

"They're really nice and open and friendly. They said I could come back anytime I wanted to, and bring whoever I want," she said, slowing her pace a bit. "I'm bringing you there once we're done here."

"Ah, do I hafta?" he whined playfully.

"Well, yeah. Isn't it natural for people who are dating to meet their partner's parents?" she asked.

"I guess, but you haven't met mine, so I shouldn't have to meet yours," he grumbled.

"Your folks are dead, remember?" she chided. "Don't worry; they loved Al and they're gonna love you. You should've seen Kurt, that's my dad, when Ai told them Al was he father of her child…" she came to a stop when a large funeral pyre, still crackling and giving off heat, came into view.

"Is this it?" he asked. She nodded slowly.

"The bodies of the dead are burned because the people believe that the dead's soul is too cold to reach the mother goddess. The heat makes it light and it flies up to her… but knowing what I know now, that's not exactly true. The moment the body dies, the soul is sucked up by the Truth to be recycled, broken down and put back together to make a new soul. The ashes are then scattered across the ground to help encourage new plants and such to grow," she rambled. "That's why everything here's so overgrown. The volcano makes for a great fertilizer."

"So… do we pray or something?" Edward asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Not really. We're just supposed to remember as much as we can about the deceased and hope that we'll meet them once again when they're reincarnated," she said, folding her arms and staring at the smoldering pile.

Edward watched her for a moment or two before wandering off in his own thoughts about the chief. After recounting all his memories of the old man, he waited. Christin had spent more time with him and had more to think over. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and held the small box in his hand tightly.

"Alright, let's go," she said a few minutes later. Edward turned to head back to the village but stopped when Christin wasn't with him.

"Where are you going?" he called.

"We're going this way, silly!" she called back. He looked around but couldn't see her. She popped out of a tree and he squealed. "Sorry," she chuckled.

"Don't… do that!" he wheezed. "I coulda had a heart attack!"

"Come up here," she said, offering a hand. "We'll be safer in the trees."

"Why?" he asked.

"Well, if you wanna be attacked by the Yavihk again, who am I to stop you?" she shrugged, disappearing back into the canopy. "You can run fast, right?"

"Wait for me," he grumbled. He used the thick vines snaking up the tree trunk to climb up into the branches. "I feel like a monkey…"

"Monkey!" Christin screeched. He nearly fell out of the tree. "Sorry!" she apologized quickly. "You know how I react to the mentioning of my favorite animal."

"So where are you taking me this time?" he asked, balancing on the branch long enough to put his hair into a ponytail. She beckoned him forward with one finger and began walking along the massive branches overgrown with strange colored fungi and flowers.

"Somewhere…" she giggled. "Oh, don't eat the pink mushrooms."

"Why? What'll happen?" he asked, picking his way among the vines dangling from above.

"Trust me, ya don't wanna know," she said flatly. She grabbed a vine and pushed it towards him. He clung to it and watched her. "Are you ready to get in touch with your inner Tarzan?" she asked playfully.

"Tarzan?" he asked. Christin grabbed hold of the vine and pushed him off the branches.

"Just follow me; you'll be fine!" she called as her own vine swung into his line of vision. Not knowing what else to do, he mimicked her and leapt from vine to vine.

"Please tell me… where you're taking me…" he panted a few minutes later. Christin crouched down in front of him and pointed to her left. He followed her gaze and almost fell out of the tree again.

A gigantic water fall sent water cascading down into a valley. Colorful plants hugged the rocks, casting soft glows of pink, blue, purple, and orange against the darkness of the wet stones. Colorful birds flew in the air among clouds of the palest pink, contrasting with the deep orange of the setting sun, visible over the tops of the trees on the other side of the valley. Small specks of light faded into view as time progressed. Christin grabbed his hand and began dragging him down onto the ground.

"What are you doing?" he asked, not wanting to tear his eyes from the breathtaking scenery. "Are you planning something dirty?"

"No, but now that you mention it that doesn't sound like a bad idea," she chuckled. "No, nothing dirty this time. We're going base jumping."

"Base jumping? Off what?!" he panicked. A base jump was a free fall from a solid object… did she mean off the water fall?

"The waterfall," she replied bluntly. "I've been wanting to do this ever since I first came here… to the Mahk'rah Doon."

"Um… aren't we supposed to have parachutes or something?" he asked nervously as he slogged into the water. It was warm and made his pants stick to his legs in a most uncomfortable way. He'd have one helluva time getting them off later. Water didn't evaporate from leather so well… even with alchemy.

"Don't need 'em," she answered. "As long as I'm with you we'll be fine."

She led him to where the river met the outcropping of rock, some forty-odd yards away from the edge. He didn't want to think about how far away the ground was. Keeping a firm grip on his hand so all he could do was follow, Christin got a running start. She darted at top speed across the rock, dragging Edward behind her. He was amazed neither of them slipped on the slick rocks.

"Here we go!" she cried as she leapt off the edge. Edward wanted to scream but his vocal chords weren't functioning as well as he would've liked.

"How far is it to the bottom?" he called over the roar of the water.

"A little less than a mile," she called back. "Why, are you scared?"

"Try terrified," he replied. "What happens when we hit the bottom?" he asked as the ground flew closer and closer.

"Well, the river's kinda like a water slide. It'll carry us to that place I made," she answered. "Don't worry; there are no flesh-eating fishies in this part of the river."

She let go of his hand and pulled him close. The ground was rushing up at them now; Edward squinted and buried his face in her neck. Water splashed around him and he fought for air. Christin helped push him up towards the surface while the current carried them down river. He sucked in huge gulps of air when he broke the surface, shaking his wet bangs out of his eyes. The current picked up speed and Christin grabbed onto him again. He held his breath as he was sucked underwater. When he surfaced again it was very dark save for a single trail of turquoise lights going along the top of the tunnel. He saw a dim light and guessed they were coming out of it. He was wrong when they made a sharp turn right and came out at another small waterfall. This drop wasn't as bad, though it was still very high. He found himself laughing as he fell toward another pool of water. This one was very warm and soothing; it must be the hot spring.

"Have fun?" Christin laughed when they swam towards shore.

He looked back at the waterfall, "I wanna go again."

"Maybe later," she chuckled. "Whoo! Oh, I'm beat."

"Are we spending the night here?" he asked, glancing towards the darkening sky.

"Nah. Last time we spent the night here, my back was killing me the next morning. Don't worry, we'll come back," she sighed, pushing her wet hair out of her eyes. Edward clapped and pressed his hands to his clothes, making the water evaporate.

"Can I ask where we're going, or do I have to wait to find out?" he asked, tightening his ponytail.

"I told you, we're going to my parent's house. Now shut up and help me dry off. I can't seem to concentrate," she replied, combing her short hair out of her face with her fingers only to have it fall back where it was. "Maybe I shouldn't have cut my hair…"

"I like it short. It looks good," he replied, clapping and touching her clothes. The next moment they were sitting inside a room painted a soft green. "What about Aislinn and Al?"

"Oh, they would've come back a while ago," she waved her hand dismissively.

"There you are! Mom keeps bugging me about Ed, wanting to know what he's like and stuff," Aislinn sighed when she poked her head in the room. She tossed something small and shiny at Christin.

"Shiny object!" she cried, reaching out to catch it.

"You really haven't changed much," Edward laughed as he stood. "'A simple mind has simple pleasures.' Don't bother chastising me, I know."

"Let's go find my parental units," she grinned, taking his hand and leading him downstairs. Said units were in the main room, talking to Alphonse. "Mom, Dad, this is Edward Elric, the Fullmetal Alchemist."

After being greeted enthusiastically by Kurt and fawned over by Stacy, Edward was left to roam about the house. Alphonse and Aislinn were discussing the future of their family with Stacy and Kurt, and Christin was nowhere to be seen. He found Saru asleep on the kitchen table. He poked her until she woke up.

"Did you see where Christin went?" he asked. Saru yawned loudly and pointed outside. "Thanks."

Christin was sitting on the ground outside, the warm winter breeze ruffling her hair and skirt. Edward plopped next to her.

"Thanks for sticking with me through all this, Ed," she sighed a moment later, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry for all the crap you've been through because of me."

"It wasn't your fault. Don't worry about it," he replied softly.

"Things might be fixed now, but they'll always be burned into my memories. I still can't get over the fact that if I had been allowed to live my life here like I was supposed to, we might never have met," she mumbled.

"That doesn't matter," he replied, kissing her head. "We're together now and we love each other."

"Edward…" she started, standing up. She bit her lip and tried half heartedly to force back the tears threatening to spill. "You can say you love me a million times… but… these feelings of _worthlessness_… will never go away. I've been thinking like that for far too long, Ed."

Edward watched her as she spoke. The full moon was shining brightly over head, casting a bluish glow on everything and making the white dress she was wearing even whiter. Wait… she almost never wore a completely white outfit… that was a bit odd. She herself was glowing, from her tattoos, casting a light to challenge that of the moon and stars.

"Sixteen years of thinking like that… can damage someone beyond repair. I'm broken and I… can't be fixed," her voice broke a bit. There were so many things wrong with her… she was 'supposed' to be a 'god'… a perfect being… so why was she like this? Why was she so weak? "I know this sounds bad… ungrateful, even… but everything I do, everything I am is powered on some level by a desire to be wanted… to be _needed_."

Edward stood up and reached into his pocket, clutching the small box firmly. Now was his chance. If he didn't do it now… he probably never would.

"Then… give me that time, Christin," he said. "Give me sixteen years… more if that's what it takes… to get you to think that you _are_ worth something. You say you can't be fixed, but you can be _changed_," he held out the small box. She took it hesitantly and opened it, clamping a hand to her mouth.

Inside was a ring made out of shiny metal, decorated with a smoothed chunk of obsidian, surrounded by small skulls.

"Marry me, and let me change you," he almost whispered, watching her reaction carefully. New tears rolled down her glowing cheeks, reflecting he light given off by her tattoos.

Looking at her now, she looked almost exactly the same as when he first met her. She was still 'damaged', still weird, but she was stronger. He had broken her apart and seen her true colors, a bright rainbow paralleling the flora and fauna of the Cretan jungle. And to think that he might never have met her if Envy hadn't interfered. In that single moment, he realized that he really, truly loved her… so much so that even _thinking_ about life without her made his heart ache horribly. Edward had never really been able to picture his future, let alone settling down and maybe starting a family, but… ever since he met Christin the image had been crystal clear.

"E-Ed, where did you get this?" she asked softly.

"I transmuted it," he replied, tapping his automail arm. "Besides, you seem to like my gaudy transmutations, so I figured 'why not?' Why, do you not like it?"

"It's beautiful…" she breathed.

"So will you marry me?" he asked gently.

"You had to ask…" she muttered, wiping her cheeks. Before panic could settle in his brain, she threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"Is that a 'yes'?" he inquired.

"I'd rather die than say 'no'," she chuckled.

* * *

_A/N: omg, it's over. Forty-eight chapters of one freaking awesome adventure, complete at long last. Can you believe that I started this thing back towards the beginning of the school year? I'm almost crying here as I'm writing this…_

_Well, Edward finally popped the question, and Christin accepted. Hurray for happy endings! We'll get a little peek into their future in the epilogue, which will be the next and **real** last chapter of Deus X Machina._

_I'd like to send a huge thank you out to everyone who's been reading since the beginning, especially those of you who review._

_Special thanks to Kelly Nelly Chan and MoE, for listening to me as I ramble on about the plot. Things didn't go exactly as I planned, like I was gonna have Christin sent back through the Gate and have her meet up with Noa again, but oh well. I did get to put the waterfall-base jumping scene in there. I got that idea from listening to The Click Five's 'Catch Your Wave'._

_Well, now that the story's over… it's time to work on the manga!!!!_

…_and possibly a sequel????_

_Once again, thanks for sticking with me through it all. Your love for the characters is what helped keep the story going for this long._

_Until chapter 49 (the epilogue)…_


	49. Epilogue: Seven Years Later

49: Epilogue: Seven Years Later

"Edward, come deal with your son!" a female voice rang through the house. A hint of playfulness was just noticeable under the harsh tone. Edward stormed upstairs and barged into the room decorated with animals.

"What is it now?" he asked, glancing at the giggling seven-year-old.

"Mommy's tickling me!" he squealed.

"I am not!" Christin protested hotly. Edward smirked.

"Well then, just tickle her back!" he exclaimed, lunging for the mother and child. Both squealed and tried to get out of the way.

"No, no! Ah, stop it!" Christin squeaked as she was tickled. "Okay, okay, you win! I give up!" a knock on the door grabbed everyone's attention.

"Tobias, go see who it is," Edward instructed. The boy nodded and bounced away, his blond hair glinting in the sunlight streaming through the windows. "he's gotten so big."

"it's called growing up," Christin rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Auntie!!" Tobias's voice screeched. "Daddy, Mommy, Auntie and Uncle are here!" he chirped loudly. "And big brother's here too!"

"Guess that's our cue to go welcome them," Edward sighed dramatically.

"Act your age not your shoe size," Christin grinned, grabbing his hand and dragging him downstairs.

"But I'd rather not be thirty; I'm getting old!" he whined.

"Ew, don't say that!" Alphonse's voice said in a similar tone. "That means I'm getting old too."

"You're all acting like a bunch of babies," Aislinn sighed.

"Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional," Marcus stated as he lifted Tobias over his head and spun him around. The boy laughed and flapped his arms. "Winry says she's sorry she couldn't come visit. They just got a new patient in this morning and well…"

"I get it. I've seen that happen plenty of times," Edward waved his hand. "Where's Ai?"

"She's with her grandparents. I told her we were coming to visit you, but she insisted that she wanted to stay with them," Aislinn shrugged. "We were just stopping by on our way to the station. Gotta head back to the city, you know? Work and… work… and more work."

"Geez, take a break once in a while," Marcus rolled his eyes. "You may be one of the best tattoo artists in East City, but you can't be that popular."

"I'm not just a tattoo artist," Aislinn sneered. "I also do body piercing and teach at the main branch of the music school."

"Oh, excuse me. Come on, Toby, let's go chase the cat," he said to the blond child sitting on his back.

"Yeah!" he cried, pumping a fist in the air. The two ran outside, calling for their fat orange cat.

"I forgot you're a guitarist now," Edward said. Aislinn punched his arm. "Al, your wife's beating me!" this time it was Christin who punched him. "Hey, spousal abuse!"

"It's tough love, get over it," she grumbled.

"Mr. Elric, Mrs. Elric!" two young voices called. Two boys around ten barged through the open front door, one of them carrying a broken guitar.

"Louis broke my guitar!" the one holding the instrument whined.

"I did not! It was busted before I played with it!" the other, Louis, retorted.

"Hey, hey, stop fighting," Christin commanded. The two shut up. In a flash of blue light, Edward had transmuted the object.

"Don't break it again," he warned. The boys nodded.

"Thanks, Mr. Elric!" they called as they ran outside, waving to Marcus and Tobias.

"Who're they?" Alphonse inquired.

"Students," Christin replied. "Rock's been more popular than I thought it'd be…"

"Yeah, people like it even way out here in the boonies," Edward nodded.

"We'd better go or we'll miss the train," Aislinn announced, glancing at her watch. "We'll see you soon, okay? And we'll bring Ai next time too!"

"Y'know, I have to admit I always though Al'd be the one who settled down in the countryside, not me," Edward sighed, running a hand through his bangs.

"Aw, I think you're doing just fine out here," Christin patted his shoulder. "Of course, Tobe's going to be a total hick when he gets older." She watched her sons chase the orange cat around the yard before it bounded inside and into her arms.

"Kuronekomaru!" Tobias whined as he followed the animal inside. Christin handed the obese feline to her son, who managed to hold it long enough to get it back outside.

"I can't believe I let you name the cat that…" Edward shook his head.

"I swear that animal gets fatter every day!" she huffed, flexing her arms.

"Aw, you're tough; I'm sure you'll survive," he ruffled her hair.

"Go ask Marcus if he's staying for dinner," she ordered, swatting him playfully.

"Yeah, yeah," he replied. He yelped when she spanked him.

She wandered into the kitchen and thought about what to make for dinner. Her thoughts eventually wandered off. Tobias was growing up so fast; he was already seven years old! That was also how long she had been married to Edward. This was her life now… she was a wife and mother and couldn't be happier. Tobias got along so well with Marcus, he didn't even care that they had different fathers. She watched the cherry tree branches sway in the spring breeze, sending the pale pink petals spiraling into the air. In the end, everyone got what they deserved. Robin was dead, and Envy too. Katie and Winry had set up a shop in Rush Valley, though Winry kept coming back to Resembool every other month or so. Kelsie and Russell were back in Xenotime, living happily with their sons and Fletcher. Marcus was staying with Pinako, though he and Winry were going steady. Rose was doing well. She was visiting Roy and Riza in Central at this moment in time. Aislinn and Alphonse were living in East City with their daughter Ai. As for her… well, Edward had decided to rebuild the house he had grown up in, for the most part, and that was where they lived with Tobias. All the friends she had made in the military were doing the same things, which mostly consisted of working.

Actually, as far as she could remember, the only people she hadn't heard from in a while were Lin, Lanfan and May.

"Mail came," Edward announced, whacking her lightly with a few envelopes. "He said it depends on what you're making."

"Food?" she suggested. "I dunno, I was… busy thinking about stuff." She took the mail and began flipping through it. "anything in particular you want?"

"Meat!!" Tobias announced. "I want meat!"

"Okay," she grinned. "Go help your dad."

"Yeah!" he cried. Christin smiled to herself as she picked up a particularly fancy envelope. It was decorated with two dark green dragons and addressed to 'The Elrics'. She tried to open it slowly, but her strange ineptitude to open things had her tearing at the envelope within a minute. A single sheet of folded paper fluttered to her feet. She bent down and picked it up, a strange feeling swirling around her abdomen and demanding her attention. She ignored it and read the writing.

"The Idiot Prince?" she read aloud. Well, this was odd. A letter requesting that the Elrics (all four of them, including the children) come to Xing at their earliest convenience. "The reason of your requisition will be explained upon your arrival?" she read. "Who wrote this thing?!"

* * *

"No, no, no, agh!" Edward cried. "I went off the road again!" he threw his remote control into the air.

"You suck, Daddy," Tobias grinned.

"Mario Kart sucks," he replied. He glared at the screen while Tobias and Christin continued to drive their little people along the rainbow road that was just floating out in space. his character, a strange turtle-like creature named 'Bowser', just sat on the road until Christin's character, a large gorilla called 'Funky Kong', rammed into him and knocked him off the road again. "I'm gonna get epilepsy one of these days."

"Oh, quit being a sore loser," Christin admonished. She was currently holding first place, but veered off into the abyss of space at the last second, letting Tobias win.

"You suck too Mommy," he grinned.

"You're just better than us," she chuckled. "alright, time for bed."

"But…" Tobias started.

"No 'buts' mister. Bedtime," she ordered, pointing at the stars. He sighed but went upstairs anyways, followed by Edward.

"Well, I'm gonna head back now. Thanks for dinner, mom," Marcus stretched and rose from the couch where he had been sitting and observing the entire game. "I'll see you later."

Christin waved him off and went upstairs to find the rest of her family. She heard muffled voices from inside Tobias's room and waited outside the door.

"Daddy, why's your arm made of metal?" Tobias asked.

"Well, when I was a kid, several years older than you, I did something I shouldn't have. I lost my leg and your uncle Al almost died. I saved him, but I lost my arm in exchange for his soul," Edward replied. "But even though it's made of metal, it works as well as your own. Aunt Winry and your other grandma fixed me up, and they did the same for your mom." He scrunched up his pant leg to show off the automail.

"But Mommy's arms and legs aren't made of metal. You're not making sense…" Tobias responded.

"that's because Mommy's metal is inside her. See…" he shifted his weight. "…before you were born, you're your mom was… okay, you know how you chase Kuronekomaru and torture him?" Tobias giggled and nodded. "Well, Mommy was like Kuronekomaru. People were chasing her because of her 'magicy magical magic' as she once put it, but when they caught her they did bad things to her. They hurt her and she became sad. Long story short, she almost died. Her heart almost stopped beating but your aunt and grandma saved her by giving her a metal heart because her real one stopped working."

"But if she has a metal heart, how come she says she loves us? metal doesn't have feelings," Tobias stated.

"Well, Toby, lots of people say that feelings some from your heart, but they're wrong," Edward said.

"They don't?" Tobias asked, shocked.

"Nope," Edward replied. "They come from your soul. Both Mommy and your uncle are living proof."

"Uncle has a metal heart too?" Tobias was astonished.

"No, but there was a time when he was just a soul. And he had feelings. If you're really quiet, you can hear Mommy's heart working, kinda like my arm and leg, but she still loves you so don't ever think otherwise," he grinned. "Now go to sleep."

"Night, Daddy. I love you," Tobias sighed as he settled down to sleep.

"Right back at you, squirt," Edward smiled, turning off the light and closing the door a bit. He nearly tripped over Christin, who had sat down on the floor. She looked up and quickly wiped at her tear-streaked face. "What's wrong?"

"I love you," she whispered, throwing her arms around his neck. "I love you."

Edward smiled and hugged her back, smoothing her hair and rocking her back and forth a bit while she cried. She repeated the same words over and over and he just held her and let her cry herself out. Her heart might not be real anymore, but all the same it melted. With each time she repeated the three-word-phrase, she felt it was never enough to sum up how she felt. And not too long ago, she noticed something else…

"Ed?" she asked after calming down. He looked at her and waited.

"Yeah?" he asked when she didn't continue. He traced the scar on her chest above her mechanical heart.

"um… I only noticed this a while ago, but…" she trailed off again and rubbed her eyes.

"Spit it out woman," he laughed.

"I'm pregnant again," she replied. "and I think Lin wants to see us." She pressed a folded paper into his hand. Edward stared from it to her and back, blinking rapidly, before bursting into peals of laughter.

Things had turned out alright after all.

And truthfully, he wouldn't have things any other way.

* * *

_Final A/N: THE END!!!! Oh geez, I'm gonna start crying here… well, it's finally over._

_Thanks for reading this epic tale of what it means to be loved!_

_Oh, everyone's grown up so much since the story began._

_Especially Christin… oh, I'm so proud of her! *forces back tears* she's done so well and overcome so much!*stands and starts applauding* bravo! Well done!_

_Okay, so I did set it up so there was room for a sequel, if that's what y'all want. (the letter from Lin, in case you didn't get that, which I'm sure you did because you're all intelligent, beautiful people. I'm just sayin'…)_

_Go take the poll on what y'all want me to work on next._

_Your input will be greatly appreciated!!!*bow of appreciation*_

_Thanks for reading…_

_.:~*alchemicmonkey*~:._


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